Man-Hunt
by Ayyyylmao
Summary: AU & CS. Emma Swan is a skilled bounty hunter in the Enchanted Forest & it just so happens that one of her clients is Captain Hook. What happens when she agrees to take on his dangerous request? Two broken individuals with dark pasts play a risky game full of mistrust & secrets, unwilling to give the other the upper hand. Whose wall will break first?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **Hook & Emma are such complicated characters with an amazing, yet complex connection. Let's see what I can make of their story :) :)

Like my other fic, this will be multi-chaptered & has a pre-planned plot. I hope you all enjoy it :) Please feel free to review!

**Summary: **AU & CS. Emma Swan is a skilled bounty hunter in the Enchanted Forest & it just so happens that one of her clients is Captain Hook. What happens when she agrees to take on his dangerous request? Two broken individuals w/ dark pasts play a risky game full of mistrust & secrets, unwilling to give the other the upper hand. Whose wall will break first?

**Disclaimer: **Adam + Eddy = OUAT

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When you've been on your own for this long, you tend to learn a thing or two about how this cruel world works. For example, there are two things she kept in mind when she walked into the tavern: one, people liked to make judgments. You could be the kindest, most unbiased person in the world, but one look at someone and you've already formulated a brief mini-profile about them.

To make a judgment, one must be able to be see the person. See, or simply be exposed to, because the blind can make judgments, too. But in most cases, it is the sight of the person that conjures the quickest judgments, and so this leads to lesson number two: the more of you they can see, the more of you they can judge. It's easy to make a judgment about someone who flaunts themselves so willingly, and while she frankly didn't care much about other people's opinions of her, this particular fact made her wary. Because the more of you they can see, the more exposed you've made yourself, rendering yourself a victim to vulnerability.

This is dangerous. And why is that? Well, let's return to number one: people like to make judgments. And the easier it is for them to make a judgment, more often than not they tend to be accurate to the real thing, and people are very well aware of this fact. Thus they become more confident about their judgment of the other person, leading them to want to learn more about them. So they talk to them, make conversation, prod subtly into their life, charm the secrets out of them, hence reducing the other's initial vulnerability to raw nakedness. Easy judgment equals easy target - you can guess which person would have the upper hand.

This is perhaps why Emma prefers obscurity: mystery baffles people. The more layers and walls she builds around herself, the harder it is for people to come storming through, and eventually they grow tired of trying. That, or they become afraid, because there is nothing more frightening than encountering a person you have no idea how to judge - especially if they're as obscure as a faceless, hooded person that lingers in the shadows.

In some places, the sight of her would cause some people to either hastily avoid her or stupidly confront her about her mysterious demeanour, but in a pub like this, she didn't have much to worry about. Hooded figures frequent around these parts, especially in this pub, for things like business transactions or secret meetings. Or maybe it was a new fashion trend. Whatever it was, it gave Emma the liberty to sip her drink quietly and peacefully in the corner alone while she watched the people around her.

There were around 30 people in this pub: 23 men and around seven women, including herself. But people didn't need to know Emma's gender - no, there were too few women and too many drunk, lonely, angry men, so she kept both her distance and her hood on. Who knows what irritating situations she'd land herself into if she were to expose herself.

Of the 23 men, she could not find a single one who fit the description she was given: tall, dark-haired, and a hook for one hand. There were plenty who fit the first two traits but none who had a hook. _God,_ she wanted to kill Graham for his lacking in the skill of description. The impatience was suffocating her.

She wanted to have a better look around the premises just in case she missed someone, but that would mean she should either get up from her comfortable seat in the dark corner of the room, or take off her hood to give her head more freedom to turn around. She quickly scanned the men around her.

_1 o'clock:_ three men playing cards, two of them occasionally glancing her way, but not too knowingly. Safe enough.

_12 o'clock:_ a man with his face turned away from her, hands that were covered in leather gloves entwined thoughtfully against his forehead... _Safe._

And at her 2, 3, and 4 o'clock were some blubbering fools who were telling grand stories about their lives to the giggling women on their laps... _yes,_ definitely safe. She sighed - she supposed it was safe enough for her to take off her hood. Besides, she _really_ did not want to lose her seat.

She lowered her hood and sipped her drink as she looked around, bracing herself. With only seven women in the pub and her being the only one alone, it was only a matter of time until -

"Milady, would you like a-"

_"No."_ Too easy; much too easy. Some men were too damn predictable - she didn't even need to lift her head.

The young man standing in front of her looked taken aback, but he insisted. "But milady, you're all alone and it's the least I can-"

"Did I stutter?" This time she lifted her eyes to give him a hard look. "I said _no."_

She sipped her drink and smiled softly to herself as she lowered her eyes to search the room again. Good, he should want to leave now. But contrary to her expectations, the young man didn't move. Instead he opened his mouth in anger and stepped forward to move closer to her.

"I do believe the lady requested your leave."

Startled, Emma looked up to see another man with his hand on the shoulder of the one who had spoken to her. She glanced back at the table at her 12 o'clock and saw that it was empty - _it was the man with the leather gloves_, she realized as she looked back at him. However half of his face was covered by the shadows, so she was not able to examine his profile properly.

The younger man looked at the stranger with distaste and roughly shrugged off his hand. "I'll leave when I want to," he growled, jabbing a finger on the other man's chest aggressively. However the stranger simply stayed rooted on his spot and stared down at the younger man. Evidently, this bothered the drunken latter as he began lift a fist threateningly towards his face.

"Think you're so high and mighty? Why don't you-"

"_Tut, tut_, I wouldn't do that if I were you, mate."

Impressive, but she has seen that move before. In fact, she has done it herself many times - one hand grabbing the wrist of the aggressor, the other pointing a well-placed, previously hidden dagger at their stomach. If they move forward even the slightest, the weapon will plunge into their body. _Well done_ - she had barely blinked when the stranger quickly moved to catch the wrist of the younger man, who had pulled out a pocketknife, and placed a knife that he had retrieved from his own sleeves towards the younger man's abdomen. Realizing he was at a loss, the younger man tugged his arm out of the stranger's leather gloved grip and glared at him before walking away, huffing.

Emma's eyes never left the stranger as he took a seat in the booth facing her, his face still obscured by the shadows.

"For how long have you been watching me?"

The stranger paused for a moment and considered her question, then leaned back against his seat to take a better look at her.

"For as long as you have been waiting," he answered vaguely.

Hmm. Well, she'll give that to him - it had been quite obvious that she was waiting for someone. But it was strange that he would be alone like that, pretending to be in deep thought when it in actuality he was watching her. And seemingly without any prior intention of approaching her, too, only until that young man came over and disturbed Emma. _Strange stranger indeed_, she thought as she stared him down.

They sat like that for a short, silent moment, sizing each other up, although Emma was at a disadvantage to making a judgment about him as his face was still dark with shadow, the only part of him exposed to light being his dark hair. After a few seconds, Emma suddenly felt slightly uncomfortable - even though she couldn't see his eyes, there was something uneasy about his gaze. It was searing, observant, and almost... _knowing._ So she tore her eyes away from him and looked around her, briefly going back to her original reason for coming to the pub in the first place -_ the man with the hook_.

_Pointless,_ she thought with an irritated sigh when she finished quickly scanning the room once more. It appeared that 'the man with the hook' chose not to meet her, and since the stranger in front of her had no hook but instead two normal hands in leather gloves... Well, there wasn't much reason for her to stay.

She stood up from her seat and began to make her way towards the door, but to her surprise, the stranger blocked her. He had gotten up as well and was now standing two feet in front of her, a close distance that annoyed her greatly.

"If you think I'm going to thank you for getting rid of that guy, then you've got the wrong girl," she snapped, not bothering to lift up her head to look at him as she spoke.

"Oh but believe me, darling, you're _exactly_ what I'm looking for."

The huskiness of his voice was enough to make Emma lift up her head to look at him, presumably to tell him off for his poor attempts at banter, but the words caught in her throat when she finally caught sight of his face.

The stranger was now standing under light, allowing her to have a full view of his face: slightly messy jet black hair, scruffs of dark facial hair as a beard, and man were those some blue eyes. _Not bad_, she thought as she evaluated his appearance. Tall, dark, and handsome, but she knew very well how dangerous that could be.

She regained her composure and lifted an eyebrow at him, but to her surprise his eyes were now concentrated on something behind her.

"Have a drink with me," he suddenly said, not taking his eyes off of whatever was behind Emma. "Over there." He give a stiff nod to his right where the barmaid was working near the door.

She narrowed her eyes at his tone - it sounded more like an order than an invitation. "What makes you think I'm going to have a drink with you?" she scoffed as she crossed her arms.

Eyes still trained on what was behind Emma, the man put his hand on her arm and began to forcibly pull her away with him. "Don't look back," he instructed in a low voice. "Walk casually towards the door and we'll- _argh!"_

Breathing heavily, she stepped close to his body and pointed her dagger towards his chest, glaring at him as he rubbed the arm she had twisted away from herself after he had grabbed her._ What the hell was that_ - he thinks he can just touch her like that and get away with it? _Fucking pirates_, she fumed as she took in the sight of his all-leather attire and elaborate jewellery.

"Touch me like that again and I'll cut your throat next," she warned him. His blue eyes slowly trailed over hers as she glared at him, the intensity of the gaze causing her to stiffen. Pity, it would be a shame to do some damage on such a good-looking face.

Then as quickly as he did the first time, he darted his eyes behind her once again and straightened his body, clearly stiffening at whatever was behind her. She furrowed her eyebrows and began to turn around, wondering what was behind her that kept gaining his attention, but then -

"_Get out of here_!"

The man had pushed her roughly to the side then stepped in front of her, nudging her to get away from him. _How the hell did he do that?!_ she thought in bewilderment as she scrambled for her dagger, only to find that the man now had it in his own hand.

"Don't make me tell you twice, Swan! _Move_!" he shouted again, pushing her backwards with his back still facing her.

She didn't fight back or even ask how he knew her name - when she looked up, she saw the three men who were playing cards earlier now running towards them, all with deadly-looking weapons pointing towards them.

"Remember to grab her!" one of the three men yelled to the others.

Realizing they meant her, Emma ran towards the nearest table and threw a bottle of beer at the one who was nearing her, then she jumped over the chair blocking her, careful to kick it behind her as she ran forwards. She glanced back at her shoulder and smiled - the two who had been given the order to grab her were now sprawled on the floor, having been hit by the objects Emma flung at them.

To her surprise, the man who gave the order was nowhere to be seen. Furrowing her eyebrows, she turned her head to look for him-

"Got you, pretty little missy," a voice leered at her ear. She stiffened at the feeling of his breath so close to her skin and at his hands that had now grabbed both of her wrists and pinned them behind her. She let out a low chuckle.

"You must not really know who I am," she said with a smirk.

"Oh but I do know who you are, _Bounty Hunter_."

As soon as the jeer escaped his mouth, Emma stomped her heel hard on his feet, causing him to groan and subsequently loosen his grip on her. Finally able to tug her wrists away from him, she elbowed him deep into his stomach then turned around to give him a hard kick at the shin.

"Correct, but whoever sent you clearly underestimated me," she stated as she stared at his crouched, groaning figure.

She pushed past him to leave, but then she felt someone push her forwards-

"Oh no you don't!"

Whipping her head around, she saw the blue-eyed man with the leather gloves punching the man that Emma knocked over with a chair earlier. After Leather Gloves smashed a bottle on the man's head, he pushed past her, grabbing her hand as he ran.

"Quick, they're stronger than you think," he said as they pushed the door open and walked aside. It appeared he was correct - she could hear the yelling of the man who had grabbed Emma earlier, ordering for the others to chase after them.

She tried to tug away her hand from his leather gloved hand as they ran out, but his grip was too strong. So she followed him as he led her to the side of the pub, where there was a small alleyway completely dark with shadows.

He pushed her against the wall and leaned his body against hers so that they were now chest to chest. Emma swore under her breath - his movement was so quick that she barely had time to unsheathe the small knife from her sleeve. But he now had her pinned to the wall, his hand holding one of her own between their bodies. She tried to wriggle her free hand out but Leather Gloves had his body pressed firmly against hers.

"_What the hell do you think you're doing_?!" she whispered loudly to him. She dared not to lift her head to look at him - she could feel his hot breath against her face, letting her know that if she tried, then their lips might just touch.

"_Saving your life_," he hissed back.

This time she lifted her eyes to glare at him, but he was now looking down at her with the same hard, intense blue gaze from earlier. She suddenly found herself completely frozen, unable to move or think properly due to the locking of her gazes. _Damn this man_ - Emma does not lose her composure over attraction. But when he slightly tilted his head, all the warning bells in her head rang, and so she made a quick plan to_ move here, hit that, kick there_ -

But before she could even move a single muscle, he leaned in.

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**A/N: **Next chapter we have Leather Gloves introduce himself. Reviews are greatly appreciated, please :D


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **Thank you for such lovely reviews :) Keep 'em coming, please & thanks! :D

**Disclaimer: **Adam + Eddy = OUAT

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The Bounty Hunter was not always notorious, but nowadays the name had become increasingly popular in the conversations of those he encountered. Indeed, over the many years he has lived he had never heard of such a person until very recently, so he assumed that this "Bounty Hunter" must have been very skilled indeed to have gained much notoriety in such a short amount of time.

He says _'short'_ because five years is a speck of dust compared to the amount of years he himself has lived. However, he may have overestimated the cleverness that he had gained over those many years of living - it had taken him quite a while to finally find this Bounty Hunter he kept hearing about.

It didn't surprise him, though, due to several reasons: one being that the Bounty Hunter had their own special title that refers uniquely to them. While he knew this was due to the fact that they _earned_ the name and the notoriety that came with it (due to their well-revered skill in doing their job, of course), he also knew that this "Bounty Hunter" most likely _encouraged_ the name to avoid too much exposure of their true identity. He knew very well that maintaining mystery and obscurity was a feat and power in and of itself. After all, he had his own special title that instilled fear in those who have heard of him and his deeds, and he has his trusty contraption on his stump to thank for that.

Although he had finally, _finally_ found the Bounty Hunter, he would be lying if he said he wasn't impatient. Finding the Bounty Hunter proved to be almost as difficult as looking for the person he wanted the hunter to find in the first place. _All right,_ perhaps he was exaggerating, but it did feel like he had been running around in circles during this breathless chase. _It will be worth i_t, he kept telling himself. _The Hunter is the key to my revenge_. Everything else had failed - retrieving the Bounty Hunter was his big chance...

It was a blessing that he was able to run into that Graham bloke, although the man had been quite vague when he told him when and where to meet the Bounty Hunter. _"The Hunter will come to you, not the other way around,"_ the man had said. "_If they choose to reveal themselves to you, then expect a good business transaction in your future. If not, well.._." He trailed off with a smirk and walked away whistling.

_Smug little ass_. What did he call himself again? The Bounty Hunter's contact? Or was it business partner? Whatever label it was, Graham's careful choice of words did not slip by him - no, there was a reason why the Hunter played that way. It was because hiding in the shadows of mystery allowed them to observe and evaluate from afar, and that would give them the upper hand.

But there was a flaw in their plan: they never had him as a client before. He was a pirate, and while the Bounty Hunter was known for plenty of notorious feats, he as a pirate had a few things up his sleeves. So when he went to the pub as Graham instructed, he took off his identifier and replaced it with his trusty leather gloved replacement instead. This allowed him to look for the Hunter himself freely without them knowing it. _Who has the upper hand now?_

It was easier to find the Hunter than he expected - sitting in the dark corner, wearing a large, dark brown hood. Watching the premises carefully too, he noted. As if they were waiting for someone. But those clues weren't what made him know for certain that it was the Bounty Hunter - no, there were three men sitting behind him feigning a game of cards to cover the fact that they were watching the hooded figure in the corner too.

"..._There he is, in the corner there_-"

"_The Bounty Hunter, no doub_t-"

"-_you grab 'em and knock him out if he makes a fuss_-"

"_Boss said no major injuries, though, but we can use force-_"

Frankly, he wouldn't have cared if it was anyone else, but the fact that the three men behind him were planning to kidnap the Bounty Hunter that he had been chasing after for several months - well, he wouldn't have any of that.

But before he could think of how to get rid of these three men without the Hunter noticing him, something had else caught his eye - the Hunter had decided to take off his hood, revealing their face.

Scratch that - he meant 'her'._ That is one beautiful woman_, he had thought as he looked at her in awe. _Oh yes_, he certainly did not expect the Hunter to look like _that._ But then again, what _did_ he expect? The stories he heard about the Bounty Hunter's appearance were inconsistent: some said 'he' was a man, others speculated 'she' was a woman, or there were the small few that claimed that 'it' was neither man nor woman, but a powerful, magical beast. Either way, none of them said the Bounty Hunter he was searching for was a beautiful woman with long, wavy blonde locks and rosy cheeks and full pink lips he was tempted to take a closer look at.

And well, maybe sometimes temptations are meant to be fulfilled, because here he was now, his body fully pinning her to the wall; his face only inches away from hers. Their chests were still breathing heavily from the fight earlier, moving in sync as he looked down at her face. Her green eyes threw daggers at his blue ones when their eyes met.

_If looks can kill... _

He felt her wriggling against him, undoubtedly trying to pull her hand free, but there was no way he would be letting his bounty hunter escape. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!" she hissed when he pushed his torso against her harder.

He gave her an incredulous look. "Saving your life."

As if he could be any more obvious. The three men who had tried to attack her weren't that subtle either, so it should be clear exactly what he was doing. While he was saving her for selfish reasons, saving a life is still saving a life.

"I think they ran over there!"

He tensed at the sound of their voices and looked back down at the blonde below him. Light was slightly illuminated them so if the three men looked, they could clearly see where they were - especially with those golden strands of hers. He glanced at the wall behind her - it was a good thing this alleyway was small or the Bounty Hunter pressed against him will definitely murder him for what he was about to do.

He slowly leaned in and lifted the arm with the fake hand towards her hood, and quickly lifted it so it was curtaining her face. At first she gasped in fury when she realized what he was trying to do and so she struggled against him, muttering insults worthy of a sailor as she tried to escape. But then his lips brushed gently against hers, their warm breaths mingling with each other, and she stopped moving. He smirked when he felt her breath hitch - _ooh yes_, so he still has that charm.

"They're running this way and I've lifted your hood to hide your hair, so feign an intimate embrace, will you?" he muttered the instruction against her lips.

She moved her head away so that his lips now grazed against her cheek and not her own. "Not a chance," she scoffed. "But you can keep the hood on until they've passed by completely."

_Ah well_, it was worth a shot. But he'll leave it at that - he was a gentleman, after all, and he respected the woman's consent.

"This way!" a voice shouted beside them. Their bodies stiffened against each other as they heard footsteps run past them.

When they were sure that the three men had completely gone, they let out a breath of relief and he stepped away from her, giving back the space he invaded. But that proved to be an unwise move as she quickly reacted by pinning him against the wall behind him, her knife against his throat.

"I'll take that, thank you very much," she said with a mocking smile as she slipped her hand into his leather jacket and retrieved the dagger he took from her earlier.

"My, _my,_ already beginning the role-playing?" he drawled as he looked down at the blonde glaring at him. "I _do_ love having your body pressed against mine, especially when I can feel your - argh!" His sentence was met with a stronger pressure against his throat.

"Banter won't get you anywhere, _pirate,"_ she spat at him. "I have questions for you that you need answering, and you better answer truthfully, you hear me?"

He stopped smiling at the word 'pirate'. There weren't many pirates around these parts and he was sure he saw many men who wore leather jackets similar to the one he wore. _Did the Bounty Hunter know who I am, after all...? _

"Your necklace," she answered his thoughts as she smirked at the frown on his face. _Ah yes_ - the skull and treasure chest pendant that most pirates wore in honor of what they do best. Impressive form, the lass knows her stuff.

But her smirk quickly vanished again. "Who are you and how do you know my name?" she demanded, shoving the knife forcibly against his skin.

Her name...? He gave her a confused look until a memory surfaced in his mind. _Ah,_ she was referring to how he had called her 'Swan' earlier. If he was being honest, he wasn't even sure if that was her real name when he said it. When he was secretly following Graham the other day, he had heard the bloke say it a couple of times in the same sentence as 'the Hunter', so when he called the blonde that, he was only experimenting to see if he was correct in his guess.

From the looks of her glare, he was definitely correct. "Only a guess, lass, nothing more," he replied with a grin.

She narrowed her eyes at his words, watching him carefully. "Listen: I can always tell when someone is lying, pirate, so don't try anything with me. I want to know _how_ you knew my name and exactly _who you are._"

"Well if you give me a little space, then perhaps I can show you," he said irritably. She didn't move at his suggestion, however, and simply continued to glare at him. He sighed. "I promise I will neither escape nor hurt you nor try anything."

_Truth,_ was what her eyes told him. Well, he was definitely not lying - he came to see _her,_ after all.

She reluctantly lowered her knife and took a step back, eyeing him carefully as he slowly moved his hand towards the other. He took off his leather gloved hand and watched her expression as she widened her eyes when she realized that there was no hand underneath the glove.

He threw the fake hand at her. "Prosthetics, love," he explained. Then he took out his beloved contraption from his jacket, waving the curved metal at her before he clicked it on his stump.

"Killian Jones, but most people like to refer to me as Captain Hook," he introduced himself with a bow. He lifted his eyes and shot her a mischievous grin. "And darling, _I_ am the man you have been waiting fo-"

_Wham._ She whipped his prosthetic hand at his chest and threw a good punch across his face.

"_What in the bloody hell was that for_?!" he roared.

"You mean to tell me," she hissed dangerously, grabbing him by collar. "That you made me sit in that pub for _two hours_, only to find out that 'the man with the hook' has been there all along and_ in disguise_?!"

He returned her glare. "Safety reasons, Bounty Hunter! The exact same reason you told that Graham bloke to make sure I didn't know anything about you - how looked you like, your gender, your name." He let out a snort. "Clever usage of the third person 'they' instead of 'he' or 'she' - you really had me curious there, _Swan._ Tell me-"

He let out another groan as she shoved against him, placing her dagger yet again against his throat. "I don't like these kinds of games, _Hook."_ She spat out his name like poison as she narrowed her eyes at him. "If you want to do business with me, you play by _my_ rules - no disguises, no watching me from afar, no trying to gain some advantages over me... None of that shady shit. Understand?"

He smirked. "Just what _kind_ of games do you like playing, Swan?"

Bracing himself for another punch for his lecherous question, Hook peeked out from one eye to find not the glare he was expecting, but a small smirk playing at the corner of her lips. "Games that even _you_ can't handle, Hook," she replied slyly. Then the cold glare quickly returned. "Do we have an understanding or what?"

He raised an eyebrow at her quick switching of moods. _This swan is just full of surprises, isn't she_? Well he knew how to play this game. "Deal," he agreed. Then he lifted his hook up as if swearing an oath. "I, Killian Jones, otherwise known as the dashing Captain Hook, solemnly swear that I shall never partake in any of the said... '_shady shit_', but will instead abide by the proper rules and only play games that _pleases_ the Lady Swan." He made sure he gave her a wink and a winning grin at the end of his sentence.

His dramatic oath seemed to satisfy the Bounty Hunter as she retreated and put away her knife. "Fair enough. I can see your honesty," she said as she brushed dirt off her trousers. Then she gestured at the street beside them and to his surprise, she shot him yet another smirk.

"Now let's get to business, shall we?"


	3. Chapter 3

Although the three men who were chasing them earlier was nowhere to be seen, Emma did not want to take any chances. So she decided to continue their business discussion elsewhere - preferably a place where there was plenty of space and no walls where Hook could easily pin her to.

She instructed him to walk in front of her so she could keep a close eye on him, but she was only met with (unsurprisingly) lecherous remarks.

"Never knew the Hunter was the type to like _that_ kind of view," he commented with a wink when he craned his head to look at her.

Roughly, she pushed him forwards. "Just walk, Hook."

"Ooh, but I do love a feisty lass."

She rolled her eyes and ignored him._ I would get the smug, perverted pirate_. But to her relief, said pirate did not make any more flirty remarks but instead remained eerily silent as they continued walking, save the occasional grunts of understanding he gave when she told him where they'd be turning to next.

After several minutes of silence passed, Emma began to wonder what he was thinking about. Not that she cared. But something about him was strangely… magnetic. And not exactly in the charming sense nor in the physical sense, but there was something about him that made Emma oddly curious towards him. Skeptical, more like it. Perhaps it was the intense gazes he tended to give to her every once in a while - it was searing and much too knowing, as if he was reading and evaluating her every thought. Or maybe it was the way he already understood her preference for mystery and obscurity so well. In fact, he shared that preference and even used it against her, much to her displeasure. But regardless, these particular things made Emma very drawn towards exactly what Captain Hook may want to hire her for, and so that is why she decided to put up with him and listen to what he has to say.

Of course, another reason why she had even bothered to meet him in the first place was because of what Graham had told her. The huntsman had been weirdly and excessively vague about what Hook had told him when they met. The only information he provided her with was that Hook had "the most interesting and challenging quest she'll ever have in her bounty hunting career" with "an offer she simply cannot refuse", and well, that was enough to gain her attention.

She looked at his tall stature as he strode in front of her, taking in the sight of his messy dark hair and long leather jacket. _"I think you'll really like this one_," Graham had said with a wink. Apparently throughout the five years they've been friends, Graham didn't know her as well as she thought, as Hook was definitely not her type. _Well…_ He _was_ a very attractive guy. Too much, maybe, for her own good. She can't deny that she enjoyed looking at men with rugged features and boyish smiles, but that was it - only seeing but no touching. Emma learned well from her past experiences that although she tended to go for the "bad-boy" persona, it was dangerous._ Much too dangerous_, she thought as she continued to watch Hook. Underneath his flirty remarks and mischievous grins and irritating attempts to charm her, she knew very well that there was more to Captain Hook than what meets the eye. She was almost certain, from what she had seen in those blue eyes, that he was well-acquainted with darkness. And that was dangerous enough for her.

Suddenly, Hook came to an abrupt halt, almost causing her to crash into him. Cursing inwardly, she looked up to glare at him but realized that they had finally reached the forest she intended them to go into. So she took a step to the side and walked past him quietly, not bothering to instruct him to follow her.

Emma could feel his eyes boring into her back as she walked in front of him, and the feeling was enough to send an odd shiver down her spine. There it was - the feeling that he was trying to read her again. Wanting nothing more than to get rid of the feeling, she began to turn around to tell him to walk in front of her, but then he made a sound in his throat, letting her know that he was about to break the long silence between them. She stiffened.

_Careful, Emma_, she reminded herself.

"I am curious," he wondered out loud as he stepped into the forest. "What is your real name? I would imagine that 'Swan' could only be a surname or an affectionate moniker, but certainly not your first name."

She snorted and turned her back to him, and continued to walk. "You should know better than that, Hook. Names come after the deal has been made."

He feigned hurt as he clutched at his chest. "You wound me, Swan. After I so willingly gave you mine?"

She sighed. "Names are a power in my field - I'll give it to you as a reward if I see it fit."

"Ooh, tough lass thinks highly of her name?" he taunted.

"I think highly of my _protection,"_ she corrected as she finally stopped walking. She smiled as she saw the familiar clearing ahead of them and turned around to tell him they were here.

"All right, we're here. So let's get on with-"

She stopped at the look on his face. Apparently he had stopped walking after she corrected his taunt and was now looking at her with an unreadable expression. But when she searched his eyes, she saw it - just a flicker, but it was there.

Understanding. Or was it pity? Whatever it was, she didn't like the look one bit because it only meant that he was reading her again.

As if nothing had happened, he smirked and walked past her. "You really shouldn't stare, Swan," he said as he walked towards the clearing. "It's impolite."

Rolling her eyes, she followed him. "What's there to stare?" She quickly strode past him and held out a hand for him to stop. "Here is good. Now enough chit-chat, let's talk business."

"Aye," Hook agreed. "As you already know, I'm here to ask to you to 'hunt' someone down for me. Someone I've been looking for a very long time. And don't you worry, I will pay you a generous amount of gold." He added when she opened her mouth to speak.

"Money is an incentive, but you'll need to strike the deal first," she informed him. "And to do that, you'll have to convince me."

He raised an eyebrow. "And how, may I ask?"

"By being truthful." She looked at him straight in the eye. "I can tell you're hiding something, Hook. Something dark, something sketchy - something I don't like. And the Bounty Hunter doesn't do business with shade."

Hook looked a little taken aback by her declaration, but he immediately recovered with a scoff. "I can assure you I haven't been hiding-"

_"Lie."_ Emma rolled her eyes. Why did he even try? "You've been watching me for a long time, haven't you? Even before finally choosing to contact Graham."

He narrowed his eyes at her, clearly not liking her accuracy. "Perhaps."

"Why?"

"I like to study my business prospects, Swan," he replied, arching an eyebrow challengingly.

_You and I both, Hook_. A truth, to some degree. But there was something off about the way his eyes looked when he said that... "How did you find out about me in the first place? You're definitely not from this realm," she demanded, giving him a quick once-over to make her point.

"Words travel quickly, darling, and I've been fortunate enough to have received a tip to get to where I am right now," he answered.

She narrowed her eyes at his vagueness. "Quit the fancy talk, Hook. I'm not that easy to find."

"Aye to that," he agreed with a flourish of his hook. "But luckily I've made some… friends who helped." Then he took a step closer and gave her a hard look. "Now look, Swan, while I'm flattered that you're willing to get to know me better, I assure you that my secrets, however dark they may be, are no danger to you. We all have something to hide; especially you, Bounty Hunter. Agreed, love?"

_Truth._ Well finally here was a real, honest answer. She lifted her chin defiantly, not taking her eyes off his. While Hook had technically not lied to her, he had been giving too many ambiguous, vague half-truths for her liking. Shady and suspicious, and an obscurity she detested (he _was_ initially hiding himself with those leather gloves earlier), but then again, the pirate had a point - everyone has something to hide. And well, if the pirate had gotten past Graham's equally skeptical nature, then she supposed she can at least find out who Hook is looking for.

"Well as long as you're not plotting my death," she decided with a sigh. "Let's hear you out."

Hook smiled and visibly relaxed. Strange - she hadn't noticed before that he was tense. "As I've said, I'm looking for someone-"

She snorted. Well, she obviously already knew that much.

"Criminal?" she inquired, cutting straight to the point.

"To the law, yes."

Something flickered in his blue eyes as he spoke, stirring something in Emma.

"How dangerous?" She knew that was a stupid question (as virtually all of the people she was hired to look for were very dangerous, wanted criminals), but there was a strange look in his eyes at the mention of the 'someone' he was looking for, and she really wanted to get a better read on that.

He frowned deeply, a cold look passing by his eyes before he spoke. "Deadly," he answered.

She arched an eyebrow. "And just who is this person, Hook?"

The look he gave her when he replied was unlike any she has ever seen him give before. No, gone was the flirty, smug expression full of bravado as it was now replaced by a cold, haunting, deadly look that gave Emma the chills. That was saying much, as she has encountered a lot of dark people in her life. _Kill,_ was what was written in those blue eyes. Death. Hatred. Anger.

And as if his look could be any darker, the answer he gave was worse.

"The Dark One," he replied through gritted teeth. "Rumplestiltskin."

She widened her eyes at the mention of the infamous name then gave him an incredulous look. There was no way in hell she was going to go after that guy - the stories she had heard about him were too horrid; too gruesome for her to seek after him. While the Dark One was infamous for the many crimes he committed and therefore wanted by hundreds of people, no one - not even her - would even dare to try to go after him. He was beyond crime - he was downright, plain and simple evil. What the hell was Graham thinking? Sure, it was a challenge (a huge one, that idiot), but it would taking a pretty big fucking miracle to catch the Dark One, let alone force him or beat him up enough to come back with the man. No, she was not going to risk her life for a stupid mission like that.

"No way," she said, shaking her head. "No way in hell am I going after the Dark One."

"I have gold," he insisted. "10 pieces for each day spent to look for him."

She snapped her eyes back to his, seeing that he was definitely not lying. Ten pieces of gold…_ for each day?_ That was a lot of money - even for him, and _he_ was a pirate. Hell, she could buy more than a dozen new, good swords with that amount of money, or even an better set of bow and arrows than the crappy one she had now, or maybe more steady and spacious tents than the tiny huts that she, Graham, and Edon use…

Shaking her head, she snapped herself back into reality. That amount was much too generous for his liking, and she was wise enough to see something fishy going on with this offer. "Tempting, but I'm not risking my life for that kind of mission," she said firmly.

Hook stepped towards her with a determined look on his face. "I forgot to mention one more thing," he said. "I will join you. While I've have many leads in regards to the Dark One's location, I am still in dire need of your skills. I will offer you my assistance and my ship, so believe me when I say I will be a useful aid in the search. But Swan, you have to hear me out: I must find this man and kill him myself. It is a lifelong goal I have been longing to fulfill for centuries, so if we go together, then I assure you that you need not to worry about your safety. "

She arched an eyebrow. _Centuries?_ He looked like he was at least in his early thirties, but the hard look in his eyes told her that he wasn't trying to fool her - he was telling the truth. However she decided not to ponder anymore on that. "While I don't doubt your skills, Captain, I'm afraid I'll have to refuse that offer. I work alone."

With that as a finality, she turned on her heel to walk away, but then she felt his hand touch her shoulder. She turned to tell him off for touching her again, but froze at the sight of the desperate look in his eyes.

"Swan, please," he said in a tone that almost sounded pleading. "I must kill the Dark One. My mind, body, and spirit can never rest until the day I do. For centuries I have been chasing after the wretched man using every mean I could find, but all methods have only met with failure. But then I heard of you - the notorious Bounty Hunter. Know this, Swan: you're my best and last chance. I need you to help me."

Alarm bells rang in her head as she tore her eyes away from his, unable to face the strange, familiar desperation in his eyes.

"Swan, look at me," he said firmly. "Have I ever told you a lie?"

Slowly, she lifted her eyes to meet his blue ones. What the hell is going on? She never expected to see so many different sides of this mysterious Captain Hook so early in their short interaction. God, there it was. Desperation. _Pain._ While the hatred and coldness she saw in him earlier had disturbed her, this was something different. This was a look that stirred a strange emotion within her, because she knew that feeling behind that look all too well. And so when she looked at him, the firm decision that she was going to back off slowly dissipated from her mind, and replaced by it was sympathy.

_Truth._

Damn herself for being so soft behind her tough exterior.

"Fine," she said after a moment's hesitation. "Fine! But-" she added when his face broke out into a wide smile. "On one condition."

He flashed her a blinding grin. "Anything for you, darling."

She resisted herself from rolling her eyes. Glad to know that Hook is back. She'll have the man's banter over his hatred and pleading any day. "I'll only bring you to where he lives. As soon as we reach his front door or evil lair or wherever it is, I will leave. No protests, no questions asked - the Dark One is your problem to handle."

He smirked. "Agreed. So when shall we-"

Emma raised up a finger to silence him. "Oh no, I'm not finished yet," she interrupted. She gave him a serious look. "Remember: you play by _my_ rules. Try to double-cross me and I'll cut off your other hand. Touch me or try anything remotely inappropriate, and I'll have your throat slit by the morning. Do _anything_ that pisses the hell out of me, and I'll kill you. Understand?"

Hook gave her a deep, low bow. "As you wish, Miss Swan."

She smiled softly at his words. "Good. Now a reward is a reward," she said as she peeled off one glove from a hand and ignored the arched eyebrow he gave her. She extended her bare hand towards him and gave him a genuine smile.

"The name's Emma. Emma Swan."

* * *

**A/N:** Reply to user Neko: I wish I could PM you but since you don't have a FF account, I'll say it here: Thank you so much for all your kind reviews :) I'm so happy that you enjoy reading my fics!

The same goes for everyone else :) love you all.

Also I've been asked to promote "Rising Tides" (OUAT & AU/CS fic) by fellow FF user TheAllisons, so if you have the time, take a look :)


	4. Chapter 4

_"Emma,"_ he repeated slowly, as if trying out the taste of her name in his mouth. He smiled - he very much liked the sound of that. "Well, Emma Swan, it is a pleasure to meet you."

Instead of shaking her hand like she intended him to, he took her hand and bent down to kiss it, careful not to tear his eyes away from hers as he did. To his great surprise, she didn't frown or smack her hand away at the flirtatious gesture. She simply stared at him, an odd expression forming in her eyes as she watched him. Then, as quickly as she always did, she schooled her expression back to her usual guarded features.

"Don't call me that," she muttered as she pulled her hand away from him. "Just stick with 'Swan'."

He raised an eyebrow at her words, watching her as she quickly averted his eyes and turned away._ Was that colour on her cheeks?_ he thought in disbelief. And it was rather strange that she didn't even bother to comment on the fact he just broke one of her rules and kissed her hand…

Then the realization hit him - _she was affected by the way he had called her 'Emma'._

He smirked to himself. Perhaps this will be easier than he thought. _Let the games begin..._

* * *

They were now walking to a "stop over", as Emma called it, and fortunately she stopped forcing Hook to walk in front of her. In fact, although she was a little far from him, she walked beside him at a distance that allowed him to freely look at her from the corner of his eye.

She was full of surprises, that was for sure. And impossibly moody. One moment she would smile softly to herself, as if recalling a fond memory, and then when he'd point that out to her, she would shut him down and push him in front of her, claiming that she still needed to "keep an eye on him".

And so here he was now, walking in front of her through the forest like a disciplined child, carefully on her "watch".

"Enlighten me, Swan," he suddenly said after a long moment's silence. "I have been wondering why you haven't interrogated me yet about those three men in the tavern earlier."

He could practically hear her eyes drilling into his back as she considered the question. "You're not associated with them," she finally replied. "I could tell you didn't know them."

"Oh?" He glanced at her from the corner of his eye. "And how did you know?"

"Clothing," she replied with a shrug. "Fighting style. They all moved the same way, using the exact same techniques. Yours was too distinct from theirs. Plus," she added with a smirk. "They were definitely not pirates."

"Aye, can't argue with that," Hook agreed with chuckle. Then he paused thoughtfully for a moment. "You seem to be very experienced, indeed. Your reputation precedes you."

When she didn't reply, he turned around to see what had made the woman fall silent. To his surprise, she had slowed down and was now looking at him questioningly, as if surprised at the genuineness of his compliment. He would have commented on the reaction further if it weren't for the fact that, yet again, she had returned to her indifferent attitude.

She quickened her pace to walk in front of him. "It's what I do," she finally said. "I'm good at finding people who don't want to be found, and sometimes that means I'll make a lot of enemies on the way."

He arched an eyebrow at the distasteful tone of her voice. "You don't sound very passionate for someone who has been doing this for quite a while."

She scoffed. _"Survival,_ Hook, " she said. "It may be a business but it also happens to be my way of living. Without it… I don't really have a choice."

From the softness of her voice, he had a feeling that this was a topic the Bounty Hunter rarely spoke about. There was a history behind those words and while Hook knew that he was being very risky with the well-guarded woman, he saw it as an opening and decided to delve further into the subject anyway.

"Everyone has a choice, Swan," he pointed out.

"Well,_ I_ didn't," she snapped.

Although her back was turned to him, Hook raised his arms in defense anyway. "Just saying, love," he said. "If I didn't know any better, I would say that the reason you took up the job in the first place was because you had a goal of finding someone yourself."

At his words, she came to an abrupt halt and completely stopped walking altogether. _Ah,_ it appears he had crossed a fine line. His reading was correct once again. Her face was still turned away from his, but from her stiff posture and clenched fists, he knew that his observation had disturbed her greatly.

But contrary to his expectations, she did not turn around to glare at him, nor did she ignore his comment altogether and feign indifference, like she usually did at his remarks. No - instead, Emma turned her head slightly so that he could only see a bit of her profile, and spoke.

"I know what you're trying to do, Hook," she said warningly. "And it's not going to work."

Unpredictable, this one. He didn't retort with a defense or change the topic, but instead he simply watched her as she began walking again._ So close_. The walls have flown up with extra barriers now, that was for certain, and he only had himself to blame for the lost chance at connection. While he was too eager to decode the mysterious Bounty Hunter, he didn't realize that he had been pushing his luck with her sudden willingness to converse. It was only a matter of time before she realized what he was trying to do.

But what _was_ he trying to do? Woo her? Crawl under her skin and unravel the mystery of the notorious Bounty Hunter? Find out her weaknesses and exploit her with them? Perhaps. All he knew was that he must gain the Bounty Hunter's trust somehow. Yet Emma Swan was a woman of challenge, and Hook very much enjoyed challenges. Banter clearly wasn't working - he had to step it up a little. That was why he decided to play this dangerous game of hit and miss. To test her. He never really expected the Bounty Hunter to swoon over him and spill all her secrets; trusting him immensely as what most women did when he was trying to pry something out of them, but that was perfectly fine. Challenges are his expertise; it made the game more interesting and the victory much more... _fulfilling,_ and so once he finally breaks into her walls and gets what he wants, then it will be an achievement he can keep in his books.

It was strange, though, how much he was trying to make an effort already. How long has he known her for - what, only 3 or 4 hours? And yet here he was, trying to analyze her every move; surprisingly succeeding in his predictions as if he knew her all along. He wanted her, he told himself, which was unsurprising considering those tempting lips, but there was something about Swan that wasn't just the blinding lust that came with the conquest of a challenging woman. No, there was something else about her - he just couldn't wrap his finger around it, and he found himself both hating her and, strange enough, admiring her a little bit for it.

"We're almost there but we're entering Wolf boundaries. Stay on your guard," Emma suddenly warned, snapping him out of his thoughts. He let out a grunt of agreement and mirrored her movements as she began to walk slowly, a hand on the handle of his own cutlass as he did.

They walked cautiously for a long while, eyes carefully scanning the trees surrounding them as they kept their arms close to their bodies, where their weapons stayed hidden. It was dark now and from what it seemed, they were the only ones in these woods. It was a good thing the blonde in front of him had hair light enough to reflect the moon that was now settled above them, conveniently allowing him to follow her without much trouble. _Familiar…_ It has been a very, very long time since he willingly followed someone like this. Hook absentmindedly let his fingers linger on the small leather satchel peeking out from his waist as he strode behind her, watching Emma's back pensively. _Ah,_ now here is a token. A reminder of why he was here in the first place.

_Revenge._

He clenched the satchel tightly at the painful memory. What is revenge if not the spawn of detriment; the thirst for justice? That was what he wanted – justice for what was taken away from him; retribution for the suffering and hatred that was given to his heart instead. The years of loneliness should have driven him mad or left him to die but no – Captain Hook was a survivor. A determined one, as the sole reason he was still alive was to accomplish the quenching of his thirst for vengeance. It was the reason why he was here; why he had endured three long centuries jumping from realm to realm, method to method - all just to kill that bloody crocodile.

"Keep your distance, Hook," Emma hissed when he almost bumped into her, lost in his thoughts. He shook his head and blinked at her - she was narrowing her eyes at him suspiciously, as if the body contact was on purpose. Lifting an eyebrow challengingly, he slowly stepped away, watching her face as he did.

Annoyed was the expression, but it was also wary. And guarded. _Well-guarded_. He supposed he couldn't blame her; he could tell that the moody Bounty Hunter had a heavy past, based on her choice of words earlier and mistrustful attitude.

And perhaps that was it - the reason why he hated what he saw when he read the blonde vixen in front of him. They had only just met, yet he could read Emma Swan like an open book, and in the rare moments he was able to easily read those green eyes, he saw a glimpse of the many years of loneliness and preferred isolation; scars of abandonment and loss. Brokenness. He was too familiar with those things, and perhaps that was why he hated her a little bit for it. She reminded him of himself and the broken past he couldn't let go.

Hook scoffed at himself. Look at him: only four hours and he was already being a pensive, analytic fool about her. She was already getting into his skin. The woman seemed to elicit the most unlikely reactions from him, it seemed. _Gods,_ like the way he had to resort to practically begging Swan to help him with his dangerous mission. Before he knew who she was, Hook had other plans of persuasion if the Bounty Hunter refused him - most of them involving his hook in their skin and certainly not exposing bits of his vulnerability.

He shook his head and fumbled around his pockets for his flask. _Ah,_ enough of the Swan. He will not let her faze him - he will focus on only his revenge and return to his usual meaningless banter, and think no more on the subject.

However, before he could lift the flask, the sound of growling was heard at their right side. They both stiffened and Hook reached into his jacket, fingers curled around his sword.

"Don't make any sudden movements," Emma whispered. "Let me handle this."

He slowly followed her lead, tippy-toeing behind her as she began walking towards one of the large trees around them. But as she approached it, the growling only grew louder.

"Come on. Get on with it," Emma called out. Hook looked at her in bemusement. Was she trying to lure out the bloody wolf?

And just as the thought passed by his mind, a large wolf appeared from behind the tree Emma called out to, and although Hook hadn't spent much time around such animals, he could tell it wasn't very happy. It continued to growl at them, baring its teeth as it walked underneath the moonlight; revealing a boastful coat of grey and white fur. Its appearance and threatening posture was enough to make Hook tense with the apprehension of battle as he gripped tightly on his sword. Expecting a signal, he glanced at the blonde beside him who, to his bewilderment, grinned at the sight of the wolf.

"Edon!" she said with a laugh, putting away her dagger. "It's only me - Emma!"

At the sound of her name, the wolf immediately stopped growling but stayed rooted in its spot, moving its head closer to them as if examining Emma's face. Then it started panting happily and, without warning, pounced towards them.

"Whoa!" Hook shielded himself with his arms but instead of being hit by a strong impact like he expected, he peeked to find the wolf nuzzling itself affectionately against Emma. Smiling, she bent down to speak to it.

"Hey there, boy, where's your master?" she cooed, looking at the wolf fondly. Hook raised an eyebrow - it was quite strange to see the Bounty Hunter acting so warmly like this.

"Swan, care to explain what's going on?" he managed to ask impatiently.

At the sound of his voice, the wolf pulled away and turned towards him and started growling menacingly at him. Although he backed away defensively, Hook shot the animal a glare, ready to unsheathe his sword.

"Easy, Edon, he's with me," Emma reassured, stepping in front of the wolf to prevent it from attacking Hook. "I don't think he's fond of pirates," she said to Hook lightly, as if making a casual observation; ignoring his question altogether.

By the looks of her smirk, it appeared she had let go of Hook's sensitive remark earlier. "Never knew pirates roam around these parts," Hook commented with a questioning look.

"Oh I know. He just doesn't like nosy, flirty, _scum_," she said with a sly smile. Hook frowned deeply. Well, never mind then. It appears she has not let go of it after all.

Without waiting for a retort or bothering to answer his initial question, Emma nudged Edon onwards, although the wolf looked hesitant to remove his eyes off of Hook.

"Oh don't worry, I don't trust him too," Emma replied to the wolf's reaction. With one last growl, Edon turned his head away and strutted in front of Emma, leading the way.

* * *

Shortly after, they reached a small clearing surrounding by a group of logs. On one of them sat a figure tending to a small fire that was made near the middle of the clearing. Hook assumed this person may be the wolf's 'master', as Edon quickly left Emma's side at the sight of the figure and made his way towards the person, happily panting as he did.

"You're late," the figure said, their back still turned towards them.

"We had... Company," From the distasteful sound of Emma's voice, it was clear she was referring to the three men earlier.

"We?" The figure turned around in surprise at the word, revealing his identity as he looked at them. A grin formed on his face when he noticed Hook. "Ah, so you took up the offer."

A scowl formed on Emma's face as she stepped over a log to walk towards him. "You didn't tell me it was the_ Dark One_, Graham," she said testily.

Graham grinned again at Hook, who nodded his head in recognition. "Graham," he acknowledged.

"Hook," Graham nodded back. "Now I'm quite curious as to how you influenced Stubborn Swan over here. I honestly didn't expect her to comply."

Hook tensed at the question and glanced at Emma, who was glaring at Graham over her shoulder. "Ah well, persuasive speech, I suppose," he replied vaguely.

"You know I'm not going to actually fight the Dark One and bring him back, Graham. Our deal was that I would just take him to wherever he's staying," Emma added, turning around to face him with her arms crossed disapprovingly.

"10 pieces of gold per day, Ems!" Graham waved his hands at her for emphasis. "You know how badly we need that money!" Then he raised an eyebrow at Emma, who was now wiping her dagger with a cloth, and glanced at Hook's disgruntled features. "Why do you both look like you're ready for a battle? Did anyone follow you here?"

"Wolf boundaries, mate," Hook stated, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Wolf boundaries?" Graham repeated, looking at Emma in confusion. "There haven't been any wolves around here for years, save Edon here. You know very well that we're the only one here for miles, Emma."

Hook turned to look at Emma questioningly as well, but her back was turned towards him. She shrugged. "Sorry, Hook, I guess I've been caught," she said, clearly biting back laughter. "I knew Edon wouldn't be happy to see you and your hook, though, so I didn't exactly lie when I said to stay on your guard. Just had to see how vigilant you are if I'm going to be dragging you along with me."

So the whole 'dangerous wolves coming our way' warning was just a set-up to see how capable he was. _This bloody woman_… She wins this round of the game for now. Hook tried to remain calm as he replied through gritted teeth. "And pray tell me, how did I fare in this test, Bounty Hunter?"

"Edon doesn't trust you and so I don't either," she said with a shrug.

He would have retorted with a defense but Hook was getting rather impatient – what in the bloody hell were they doing here anyway, spitting at each other back and forth? They needed to discuss their first moves; where they should go after they reach his ship, what they should do… "While I enjoy this conversation, can we please discuss our plan now? The clock is ticking."

Emma rolled her eyes and snorted. "You expect me to lay out the entire plan for you so you can run off with the money and find him yourself, hmm _pirate?"_ She brushed past him towards a pile of brown sacks. "I'll give you the destination of the day each morning and if you have any 'tips' that you want to throw in, then _maybe_ I'll _consider_ them."

"You weren't joking when you said you mistrust me," he muttered.

"I don't make jokes." Then she picked up a sack and threw it at him, before settling herself on the ground near the fire.

"Now, you take first watch."

* * *

**A/N:** Enough dawdling, Captain Swan.. Let the real action begin lol ;)

Also thank you again for such kind reviews! They really do help keep up my motivation to write :)


	5. Chapter 5

The memories came at night while she least expected it - in deep slumber; completely unaware. She calls them 'memories' because the dreams are much too vivid; much too _real_ to simply be meaningless images in her sleep.

They began to appear the moment she met him and brushed her fingers against his. Sparks - that was what happened when their skin made contact. The warmth of it filled her body and made her tremble, and while she tried to convince herself that it was nothing, she knew that what she felt when they first met was not just simple shivers of nervousness or discomfort.

It was… _Magic._

And the more often these 'memories' visited at night, the more convinced she was that it was magic. She couldn't quite place her finger on it but something about him triggered something inside her - a thought, a feeling… A _life_ that was there all along, but just needed him to set it off for her.

Or maybe it was something else…

"Milady?"

She slightly jumped at the sound of his voice, unaware that she had company. _When the hell did he get here?_ She turned around and oh _God_ - there he was, in all his questioning glory.

"You are back," the man commented in surprise when he realized who it was. "Is he still lost?"

She blinked at the question, almost forgetting for a moment about her lie. "Oh yes - my dog. Yes he is," she replied.

A feeling of guilt settled in her stomach as she watched him shake his head in disappointment at the reply. It was a lie, yes, but she needed an excuse. What else could she have done? Tell him the truth? _Oh, I just came back to the forest where we first met because I wanted to see you again. By the way, if you're wondering, we also happen to have a special connection that makes me keep on coming back_. She almost snorted at the thought - yes, white lie it is. She refused to let him know what effect he already had on her.

"Would you like me to accompany you while you look further for your dog or would you rather-"

"Company would be fine, thank you," she said brusquely, hastily walking in front of him to hide the smile that had formed on her face at his request. She knew she was being foolish but she couldn't help it - his presence was strangely soothing, and she couldn't bring it to herself to stop hoping she would bump into him whenever she walked into this forest.

"Do you often roam around these parts all alone, your Highness?"

She winced at the mention of her formal title, the bad feeling she had been having the whole week settling in her stomach again. "When I can, yes," she replied tersely.

To her surprise, the man beside her chuckled. "I would imagine the Queen be surrounded by guards at every waking moment after a thief broke into her castle."

"I can fend for myself." She glanced at him from the corner of her eye and looked away quickly in embarrassment when she realized that he had been watching her the whole time. "And I let you leave freely, did I not?"

"Indeed, but you _did_ chase me all the way here in the forest with your lovely balls of magic," he said.

"Well it is a fitting reaction for someone who has found a hooded, armed thief sneaking around their kitchen," she pointed out defensively.

He let out a laugh at the seriousness of her tone and walked in front of her, stopping to look at her in the eye. "I am only trying to make light humour with you, your Majesty," he said. Then he gave her a sincere smile and bowed his head, not leaving his eyes from hers. "I wanted to say thank you, your Highness, for giving us that generous amount of food yesterday."

Her heart skipped a beat at the sudden eye contact, and she almost froze in the spot at the realization of how close he was to her. But then she shook her head, trying to ignore the strange feeling in her stomach. "I was under the impression it was to be given anonymously," she said in her usual commanding tone, trying to appear indifferent to his closeness as she brushed past him and continued walking. "And don't call me that. You know my name."

"A Queen who wishes not to be addressed by her respective titles, _and_ is incredibly generous to the poor? Such encounters are extremely rare," he mused. "How interesting the stories about you beg to differ."

She felt the strange feeling in her stomach sink. This was exactly what she dreaded - him, of all people, hearing those rumours. It was what was bothering her the entire week. "And what do you make of these… stories?" she finally managed to ask, glancing at him from the corner of her eye.

Surprisingly, he gave her question a look of amusement. "They call you the grouchy, temperamental witch. Fearsome, even. Undeserving of the throne. But I? _I_ beg to differ with _them."_ He stopped walking when she stopped to look at him in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean is," he said, taking a step closer to her. "I find the Queen far from her distasteful reputation. I find her charming, kind, _good._ And… And..." He trailed off, furrowing his eyebrows as his eyes locked onto hers.

"And?" she whispered. There was no more denying it, now. He was too close and so was she, and every voice in her head that yelled at her to turn back slowly died away as she searched his grey-blue eyes.

_"...Familiar,"_ he finished, his voice barely a whisper. To her disappointment, he broke eye contact and looked down, letting out a frustrated sigh. "Forgive me, your Highness, it's just… I-I-"

"You feel it, too?" she said with a weak smile.

He looked up at her, eyebrows raised in surprise. "You do, don't you?" she continued, looking at him sadly. "I've been having these dreams, Robin, about me, you, this place-" She gestured at the trees surrounding them. "You're going to think I'm crazy, but I feel like-"

"-we have met before?" He finished with a grin on his face. "You're not crazy, Regina, because I've been having them, too."

A smile slowly spread on her face at the sound of her name and they stood like that for a moment, looking at each other.

But the smile quickly vanished from her face when he broke the silence.

"There was never a dog, wasn't there?"

* * *

A mother is one that always puts her children's needs before their own. That much she knew and that much she lived by - at least, that was always her argument whenever her way of parenting was questioned.

Indeed, this was the argument she used again after she looked away from the Mirror, frowning at what she had just seen. This wasn't good; not at all. She thought it would be a brief encounter after the thief incident but no - there she was, shown in the Mirror, her daughter talking so _intimately_ with that man... It was as if that wretched curse never even happened.

She clearly underestimated their relationship. In fact she barely saw _them_ coming - if anything, she expected that Snow White girl and her prince to ruin everything, but luckily the Princess was now a mere servant in the castle and that Prince Charming man was now... A stable boy? She shook her head - she can never keep up with these new identities...

Nevertheless, she didn't have to worry about them. Instead she had her own daughter and that filthy-looking peasant to worry about. Their interactions were slowly blossoming to something greater, and she most definitely could not afford it if their _love_ ruined all her hard work and made her daughter remember everything.

She scoffed at the thought of the word. _Love…_ What would Regina be now if she married that poor fool? Certainly not the great Queen she made sure her daughter would be today. Yes, she will get rid of that thief. She will be discreet in her plans. Her actions mustn't be too hasty, as she had learned when her daughter expressed suspicions about their life in this Kingdom. Perhaps she could use the same method as getting rid of those irritating wolves. No, no… Even better, why doesn't she just improve things a little bit and find the person who gave her the damned curse in the first place?

Yes, it's a plan... She will do it. For her daughter's best interests.

* * *

_A flash of blue light. Soft music. And a small swan hovering over her face as hazel eyes peeked at her from above…_

_"Emma, my darling baby…"_

She woke up with a jolt, breathing heavily, and then found her eyes slowly closing as the feeling of a warm, rough hand cupped her face...

* * *

Back in the forest that same evening lay a certain green-eyed blonde whose hands were tucked snugly under her cheek as she rested comfortably on the forest floor. She stirred as wake began to fill her, shifting her body slightly to the right so she can stretch her legs -

_What the.._. Emma froze when she felt the warm body beside her. Perhaps she had been _too_ comfortable for she managed to sleep for much longer than she intended to. Usually, when it was her turn to "rest", the Bounty Hunter would let her body take on its usual defensive state: half-asleep, yet quite fully alert and awake at the same time. Easy guardedness. But for some reason, this morning she had woken up, which can only mean one thing: she fully fell asleep.

What the hell happened last night? All she remembered was having those dreams flash through her mind, as they did every night, and then waking up abruptly… Nothing short from her usual restless nights…

But then the body beside her stirred, and she stiffened. The movement began to jog her memory and suddenly, she remembered the way he had quickly moved to her side, shifting her body slightly so he may sit beside her…

"_That's a lass… Now close your eyes… Close them… Yes, good girl… You know, Emma, it's okay to surrender to slumber if you're that exhausted_."

Emma groaned inwardly at the realization: she let herself fall asleep at Hook's side. And not only that - the pirate stayed by her side the entire night. But really, was she that comfortable to sleep next to him the entire night? She lifted her head slightly and opened one eye into a tiny slit to peek at him.

There he was, in all his leather-clad glory. It was barely even a day since they first met. Stupid cocky pirate with an uncanny ability to already throw her off-guard so easily. First with the way he looked at her, then the way he said her name so damn intimately, and then he had to top it off with his freakishly accurate observations about her…

Dangerous, dangerous man. _Too dangerous_ - that was why she pointedly ignored him the entire walk to where she and Graham were camping out, and why she made him take first watch. She clearly underestimated him. An attraction was an attraction, but after the way he seemed read her like a book? After only _four hours_ of knowing each other? They were playing a dangerous game. She couldn't afford to trust Hook; she couldn't risk letting him get under her skin. So she decided she would keep her eye on the pirate from a distance, and despite the fact it will soon be only the two of them travelling after Graham did his part, she will somehow manage to keep that distance.

But yet here she was, curled up comfortably next to Hook's side like a little child who just had a bad nightmare.

"Good morning, sleeping beauty."

She didn't bother to open her eyes or move from her spot when she lifted her arm and punched him straight in the stomach.

_"Bloody-_ I suppose that's your way of greeting me back?!"

A satisfied smile curved onto Emma's lips as she sat up, stretching her arms over her body. "Didn't I tell you not to touch me?"

"You should be thanking me," Hook responded through gritted teeth, still rubbing his stomach. "You were talking in your sleep. It appeared you were having a nightmare."

Emma felt herself go tense at his words but she chose not to reply. Instead, she stood up and brushed off the dirt from her clothing. "Still no excuse for you to snuggle up against me the whole night, Hook."

He scoffed. "If anything, _you_ were the one doing this so-called _'snuggling'."_ Then he paused and glanced at her before continuing. "I didn't catch any word you said, if that will ease your mind."

And there he goes again - pinpointing exactly what she was thinking about. However she didn't let it get to her this time. "Where's Graham?" she asked instead, wishing to avoid the subject entirely.

Hook shrugged and began to stand up as well. "Playing with his pet." He raised his arms defensively when Emma shot him a glare. "He said he's going to take a look around the premises."

"And that I did." Graham stepped out into the clearing, Edon close at his heel. The wolf didn't look particularly happy at Hook's comment as it was now growling unforgivably in Hook's direction. Graham patted the wolf's head and chuckled. "You really shouldn't call him that, Hook. He's much more valuable and skilled than just a mere pet."

Hook gave a mocking bow to Edon. "My apologies, sir Edon the Wolf."

Emma rolled her eyes. _Must he always be so dramatic?_ "All right, all right, enough the theatricals. Let's go now, shall we?" she said impatiently.

"Aye to that, Swan." Hook gestured his arm in front of him. "Lead the way, Bounty Hunter."

* * *

It turned out that it was Graham, and not Emma, that would be leading the way, as he was now a little far ahead of them with Edon by his side. As they trekked through the forest, Emma made sure to walk far ahead in front of the pirate, not bothering to check on him or even shoot him a glance. But to her dismay, the pirate strode towards her side.

"I understand you mistrust me, but do tell me at least some of the plan. You don't expect me to go along with you in this journey blindly now, do you?"

Emma glanced at Hook, who had an irritated look on his face. Meh, she was planning to tell him this anyway. "Graham's taking us to Hunter's Point, where we'll be taking a small boat to cross the Blue Lagoon. From what I've heard back in the village, the Dark One was last seen at a cave in another kingdom at the other side of the country. And the topic of your ship that you're willing to offer - it will come in handy soon. You said it's anchored somewhere at Dead Man's Cove, correct?"

Hook nodded then furrowed his eyebrows, looking in the distance where Graham and Edon were walking. "How in the bloody hell are we going to fit that massive wolf on a small boat? And I, for one, am not allowing such an animal on board my ship."

"Graham's not coming with us."

Hook raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Really? And your lover is okay with you taking on a dangerous quest with a dashing pirate?"

Emma snorted and rolled her eyes at Hook's feigned casual tone. "Yeah, _no._ One, he's not my lover. Not even close. Two - yes, Graham is okay with that, but regardless his opinion doesn't matter. I told you, Hook: _I work alone_. And from the four years we've known each other, Graham is pretty familiar with that."

Hook's face seemed to relax at her words, but then his frown reappeared once again. Four years was going to tough to compete...

"I thought he was your partner," he said conversationally, eyeing her from his peripherals.

"In the deal-making part of the business, yes, but not the actual bounty hunting itself. He helps here and there, being the Bounty Hunter's contact and all, and occasionally helping out with research and tips when I agree on a client. Getting weapons. Finding transportation. Money issues. Those things." She paused for a thoughtful moment before adding, "He was the one that brought me into the business, actually."

This seemed to stir Hook's curiosity. "Bounty hunting? The bloke introduced you to that?"

A faint smile passed by her lips as she recalled the fond memory. "In a way, yes. I was already dabbling in it at the time, but he helped me improve. It was because of his skills as a huntsman. He trained me; mentored me. He's my only frien-" Emma shut her mouth immediately. Although the information she was telling him wasn't exactly dangerously exposing, it was best that she kept from telling Hook more than he already knows about her.

"Don't stop on my account. I've no interest in breaking your intimate relationship with the huntsman," Hook said. Then he gave her a knowing smirk. "Unless you're interested in me doing so..."

She rolled her eyes. "I told you, he's not my lover. I have no interest in love or _being_ in love, and never have I been. So believe me when I say he's my mentor and my friend - nothing more." Then she looked at him from the corner of her eye, raising an eyebrow. "Tough luck, Hook. I'm not interested in you at all."

"The Bounty Hunter has friends? And here I thought she preferred isolation," Hook mused. Then he took a step closer to her, moving inches closer to the side of her face. "And denial doesn't look pretty on you, Swan," he breathed in her ear. "Are you sure you're not interested at all?"

Emma cursed herself for reacting and tried to ignore the shiver that went down her spine at the feeling of his closeness. But she knew how to play his game. She turned her head and looked at him straight in the eye, not daring to move her face away from his so as to give him a clue of his effect, and gave him a mocking sweet smile. "I _do_ prefer isolation, which is why I keep my friends and foes, and _especially_ men like _you_ away."

He looked taken aback but he knew a challenge when he saw one. He arched an eyebrow challengingly at her, a smirk twitching at the corner of his mouth as his voice grew huskier. "If I am neither friend nor foe, then what category do I fit in, love?"

A flicker of tension quickly passed by Emma's eyes, something that Hook clearly did not miss as his smirk grew wider. However she kept her voice indifferent. "Scum," she finally replied with a hard look, stepping away from him. Hook wins this round for now.

He sighed. "And here I thought we had a connection, Swan."

She froze at his words._ Damn it_, she really has to stop listening to this man speak. He seems to make her slip out words too exposing for her own good and elicit reactions from her that she somehow couldn't hide from him. Emma turned towards him to spit yet another insulting retort but suddenly, the sound of Edon's loud growling stole her attention. She and Hook exchanged questioning looks before they rushed towards Graham and Edon.

"What's hap-"

But before she could ask, Graham had covered her mouth and silenced her, pushing herself and Hook back away from Edon.

They widened their eyes when they saw what Edon was growling at. There, beside a tree was another large wolf with brown fur that was baring its teeth menacingly at them. And from the looks of Graham's face and his tight grip on the handle of his dagger, this wolf was no friend. Emma looked at Graham in disbelief. They scoured almost the entire perimeter- how the hell did they miss this?

"I thought there weren't any other wolves in these woods, Swan," Hook hissed beside her, watching Edon and the large wolf circle each other. He pointed his hook at the wolf as he spoke, gesturing towards it in a way that might have appeared threatening to onlookers.

"Are you an idiot?!" Emma pushed his arm down, so as to hide the metal hook from view. "You're going to provoke it!"

But it was too late - the brown wolf looked away from Edon and snapped its head towards Hook's direction.

_Shit._

"Move!"

She shoved Hook out of the way to block him as the brown wolf lunged towards him, taking out two large swords from her bag to block it.

"Emma, your head!" Graham yelled as the wolf lifted a paw and swiped it towards her face, its claws gleaming in the light.

She jumped out of the way and leapt towards Hook's side, who now had his own sword drawn out. "Thanks, lass. So what's the plan, Bounty Hunter? Should we make ourselves a lovely fur coat?"

The brown wolf seemed to be offended by Hook's words, as it now stood up from where it fell on the ground and looked straight at them. "You really should be kinder to animals, Hook, or you'll just keep on provoking them," Emma warned. Then, just as she expected, the brown wolf started to rush its way towards them.

"I go left, you go right!" she instructed. Hook nodded and jumped to the side, causing the brown wolf to leap pass them, missing them entirely. She turned towards Edon, who was still by Graham's side. "Edon! Jump on it when I tell you to, okay boy?!"

She looked back at Hook. "How sharp is your sword, pirate?" she called out.

"Sharp enough that you can _feel_ it," he replied cheekily. She looked him in exasperation. _Really?_ Right now of all times?

"You get the front left paw and I'll get the other ones! Drive it through the ground!" she ordered. "On the count of three: _one-"_

"Emma, wait!" Emma turned her head to Graham, who had a worried expression on his face. She looked at him incredulously. Seriously? Was the huntsman really going to go soft about his love for wolves right now? The fucking animal was trying to kill them.

"I can't afford risking our lives just because you're being sentimental, Graham!" she yelled back. "We're just going to injure it so it can't follow-"

"No, Emma - stop! It's a werewolf!"

Emma followed where Graham was pointing at and saw, clear as day, the white crescent-shaped patch of fur on the brown wolf's neck. She looked at it in disbelief - what the hell was a werewolf doing here, in a forest that has been abandoned for years, and following them?

There was only one way to find out. "Hook, change of plans!" Emma shouted. She dropped one sword and slowly made her way towards the snarling animal, lifting her other sword high in the air as she recalled one of the first lessons Graham taught her.

_'Moonlight magic, come undone at the draw of blood.'_

She lowered her arm and made her first strike, the colour of red spilling through the forest air.

* * *

**A/N:** Sneaky sneaky Hook - trying to find out if Graham's her lover…

Reviews are _always _greatly appreciated! :)


	6. Chapter 6

Red - the colour of blood, of fury, of hatred, of _revenge._

But when Emma sliced her sword across the wolf's cheek, the blood that resulted from the strike was not the only one of red colour that flew into the air. They watched cautiously as the drops of blood spilled onto the forest floor and the wounded brown wolf slowly curled up, appearing to be shrinking as it became smaller and smaller…

They all widened their eyes in astonishment when they no longer saw the brown wolf that attacked them earlier, but a dark-haired woman sprawled on the ground, wearing a long, red cape draped around her. Everyone gripped their weapons as the woman slowly lifted her head and touched the bloody gash on her cheek.

She gasped at the sight of the blood and whipped her head to face them, a furious glare in her blue eyes. "You won't get away with this! I'll make you _pay-"_

The sound of a swish was heard and a gleam of metal sliced the air as Emma quickly drove two swords to the ground, pinning the woman's dress along with it at different points. Emma didn't take her eyes off the brunette when she threw two long pieces of rope to the two men at her sides.

Hook whistled as he caught the rope. "Good form, Swan."

A small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth at the compliment. "Graham, Hook - tie her up, will you? I've got some questioning to do."

* * *

"Keep on struggling and I'll decorate your other cheek."

Emma smiled in satisfaction when the dark-haired woman stopped trying to kick at Graham, who had been trying to tie the woman's feet, and glare at Emma subsequently.

_"Sorry",_ mouthed Graham apologetically as he finished with the rope, but the woman simply switched her icy glare towards him instead.

"Hey, Red. You got a name?" Emma asked, glancing at the cape drape around the woman's neck. But yet again, she was only met with defiant silence. Emma rubbed her temple - she was getting _really_ impatient and the Bounty Hunter wasn't very pretty when she lost her patience.

She stepped towards the brunette threateningly. "_I asked you_-"

"Swan."

Emma turned and narrowed her eyes at Hook, who had pulled her back with his metal contraption. He nodded his head back at the dark-haired woman on the ground. When she followed his gaze, she was surprised to see that the dark-haired woman was still glaring at them, but her blue eyes were no longer its colour. Instead they were flickering between many colours, from blue to brown to hazel, then back to blue.

"You know that's not going to work, so don't even try," Emma scoffed, squatting on the ground to meet the woman at eye level. She gestured towards the wound on the woman's cheek. "'_Moonlight magic, come undone at the draw of blood_.'"

A flicker of surprise overtook the woman's glare at the mention of the saying and her eyes returned to its blue colour once again. "Oh yeah, we both know that little scar I gave you wasn't an accident," Emma said when she saw the woman's expression change. "Semi-circle from the corner of your eye then across your cheek bone… Perfect precision to bring you back to human form, right _werewolf?_ You know very well that until the wound completely closes, you won't be able to transform at all. '_Moonlight magic, come undone at the draw of blood,_'" Emma recited again.

Then Emma peered at the woman thoughtfully. "The question is, what is a _werewolf_ doing in these parts, completely transformed during _daylight?"_

The glare had completely disappeared from the dark-haired woman's face and was now replaced with a questioning look. "Who…. are you?" she asked suspiciously. "How do you know all of this?"

Emma frowned. "I'm asking the questions, Red," she said. "Answer me."

The woman looked at Emma intently, as if trying to study her. Then she looked away and let out a breath, as if finally deciding that resignation was the only option.

"My name's Ruby. I'm from the Scarlet Clan, if you know what that is," the woman said dryly.

Emma looked at her in confusion then opened her mouth to speak, but Graham cut in. "Scarlet Clan… As in the wolf pack with the magical red cloaks?" he asked. Then he turned to Emma with a small smile. "Those cloaks allow them to transform at any given moment. It's quite incredible."

Ruby nodded slowly and looked between Graham and Emma in wonder. "…Yes, you're right. That is my pack."

"That answers one question, but it still doesn't make sense as to why you're here… Or why your _pack_ is here, if you're not alone," Emma added. She saw Hook shift at the corner of her eye at that possibility, moving his head to look at the trees around them cautiously.

Ruby gave Emma an icy stare. "I _am_ alone," she said in a dark voice. "I came with my grandmother and my younger cousin, who were both slaughtered in their sleep." Then to Emma's surprise, her eyes softened. "That's why I attacked you - I thought you were the men who killed them. But now that I've talked to you, I know you're definitely not them."

"Men? There were men around here?" Graham said questioningly.

The dark-haired woman gave a stiff nod. "They were looking for someone. But when we fought back, they attacked. Unlike you guys, however, they were idiots, so when they fled they left something behind..."

A dark possibility passed by Emma's mind as she recalled a memory but she hoped that it wasn't true. Whoever these men were, they were definitely not idiots - it was extremely difficult to fight against a werewolf, let alone successfully escape from one, unless they were trained and skilled.

"What did they look like?" Emma asked. "Do you know where they were coming from?"

"They might be coming from the White-" Ruby stopped then narrowed her eyes at the three of them suspiciously. "Wait, where are _you_ coming from? Who do you work for?"

Emma scoffed and returned the skeptical look. "Myself and no one else. Why?"

Ruby gave another wary look at Emma, as if trying to decide whether or not it was safe to respond. "Do you know of a woman named Cora?" she finally asked.

Confusion filled Emma's face and she turned to Graham for clarification, but to everyone's surprise, Hook cut in instead. "What of the old witch?" he said in a distasteful tone.

"She lives in the White Kingdom now, where her daughter now rules," Ruby replied, turning to Hook. "The Scarlet Clan… My pack used to live there for centuries, but then my grandmother heard of a rumour that something dark and evil was to overtake the Kingdom, so we fled from there when I was younger."

"What was the rumour?" Graham asked.

She gave Graham a dark look. "Not a rumour, as I found out a few months ago. I went back to look for my mother in the hopes of taking her away from the place, but when I got there… She didn't recognize me." Ruby let out a shaky breath. "No one from my pack did. Everyone thought I was an imposter; that I was lying when I said I was her daughter… And what was even worse was, nobody was the same anymore. It was like… It was like their identities changed completely."

"And you think this Cora woman did this?" Emma asked.

Ruby nodded. "My grandmother told me that someone else was supposed to take the throne in the White Kingdom, and not Cora's daughter. Granny said that Cora most likely performed a curse on that kingdom so that her daughter can get the throne, and since it seemed like everything was different when I came back… The curse most likely changed people's identities and gave them new memories as well."

"So then what happened? What did you do when nobody recognized you?"

"I was caught eventually," Ruby said gravely. "I kept on trying to convince them that Cora did something to their memories, and some people were actually beginning to believe me. But you see… My clan's new identities… They were slaves of the Queen, and so they worked under her. Eventually Cora heard some of the people from my pack speaking and realized what I was doing and where I came from, and she locked me up. I managed to escape, thanks to a kind maid that helped me, but obviously Cora wasn't happy. She sent people to capture me and my grandmother and cousin, and meanwhile my pack…" Ruby looked away, trying to blink away the tears that had formed in her eyes.

"Cora slaughtered them all," Hook finished with a low voice; grim understanding on his face.

Ruby nodded, the movement causing the tears to fall down her face. "We ended up finding this empty forest and haven't heard from anyone since. We thought that maybe Cora decided to give it up, but then those men came and now you're here…"

"You thought we might be working for her too," Emma finished with understanding, suddenly feeling pity for the woman. She gave her a reassuring smile. "Well don't you worry - we definitely don't work for people like Cora. And the men you see here? You see that guy?" She pointed at Graham. "He's a huntsman and he would never hurt a wolf. And Hook over here is just a perverted pirate who clearly knows nothing about animals or wolves for that matter, so you have nothing to worry about. None of us are the men that tried to hurt you."

"And you?" Ruby said with a timid smile.

Emma let out a laugh before standing up. From what she'd gathered based on what Ruby said, she seemed safe enough to trust. "The name's Emma and I'm a bounty hunter. I find people. And trust me when I say I haven't been hired to hunt any werewolves for a long time."

But to her surprise, Ruby was not smiling all along with her anymore. Instead, the dark-haired woman had a strange look on her face, and Emma could have sworn that it looked like… _Fear_. "What's wrong?" Emma asked.

Ruby swallowed and nodded towards her thigh. "I told you earlier that the three men were looking for someone and that they were stupid enough to leave something behind. Well… I kept it. It's in my pocket there."

_Three men…?_ Emma looked at Ruby, a slow realization dawning on her as she cautiously bent down and looked through Ruby's pocket. She pulled out a tattered piece of paper and - _oh shit_, there it was. Her suspicions that overtook her mind when Ruby first mentioned the men were correct.

On the piece of paper was her full name written on the top.

**_Target: Emma Swan, the Bounty Hunter._**

* * *

"Untie her."

Emma remained tight-lipped as she continued to stare at the paper. It appeared that these men had been looking for her for a long time. There were a few other sketches below her name: a drawing of her sitting at a pub, another one of her walking down the streets, and another one of her and Graham at a market. In almost all of them, she had been wearing her hood and appeared to have manly features, but there were some sketches of her without her hood. They got her features perfectly on point, as if they knew who she was all along; as if they knew of her identity and had been planning this meticulously...

"You sure it's safe, lass?" Hook questioned, looking at Ruby warily. Emma tore her eyes from the paper and looked straight into Ruby's eyes.

"I promise I won't hurt any of you, unless you give me reason to," Ruby swore. Truth. And reasonable. She would do the same if she was in Ruby's position. Emma gave Hook a nod, then returned to studying the paper.

The men had written a couple of notes, too, but they were not only about her. One particular note seemed to be freshly written: "_Captain Hook. Dangerous. Long leather jacket. Dark haired. Scar on cheek. Possible client and/or lover_." She snorted at the last part. Well, they _almost_ got everything correct.

A bad feeling overtook Emma's stomach as her eyes roamed towards the drawings again, but when Ruby finally stood up, completely untied, she shook it off. She decided that it was to their advantage that they found Ruby and that the woman gave this paper to them. Good omens. So Emma folded the paper and shoved it into her pocket.

She walked towards Ruby. "Where did you last see the men go?"

"Over there." Ruby pointed behind Emma. "I don't smell them so they're most likely out of the woods."

_Good._ So they were going the opposite direction and they weren't not in the woods anymore.

"We're walking towards Hunter's Point," Emma informed her. "Unless you have somewhere else to go, I'd advise you stay with us for the meantime. It'll take a while since this forest is so big, but we should be there by the end of the day or tomorrow morning the latest."

Emma put two fingers in her mouth and whistled. "Edon! You're with me." She turned around and smirked at the two men beside. "Let's go, boys."

* * *

Never in her life would she have imagined that she would be travelling with a one-handed pirate _and_ a werewolf. But yet here she was, sitting on a log watching as said pirate sipped on his flask, staring at the fire that Graham made with a sour expression on his face.

Hook was looking more impatient than usual, but there was nothing Emma could do - the pirate had to hold off on his urge to kill the Dark One tonight. Although they were close to Hunter's Point, the sun had already set and Emma knew very well how dangerous it was to tread the treacherous waters of the Blue Lagoon at night. So tomorrow morning it was, much to Hook's annoyance.

Meanwhile, Ruby and Graham seemed to have grown much more acquainted to each other. They were now sitting across from her on the other side of the firing, talking quietly amongst themselves as Edon slept quietly beside Graham. Emma tried not to snort out a laugh - she pretty much called it as soon as they decided Ruby was clean. Brunette, blue eyes, nice pretty face, _and_ she happens to be a _werewolf?_ Ruby seemed to feel the same way as she kept on laughing at every one of Graham's horrifically boring jokes; her eyes never seeming to leave his. And right now, they seemed to be talking seriously, as if confiding in one another or sharing stories of the past, looking perfectly comfortable... Emma looked away. She would never understand how some people opened up so easily…

"I'm going to get some more firewood," Graham suddenly announced. He nodded towards the woman below him. "Ruby?"

To Emma's surprise, however, the woman shook her head. "I think I'll stay here," she said with a soft smile. Emma watched warily as Ruby got up from her spot and walked towards her, subsequently taking a seat next to her. She braced herself and felt her body go tense - she couldn't help it; defensiveness was her natural state. Besides, she wasn't really in the mood for conversation, much less with another woman.

"So," Ruby said with a grin. "Graham has told me a lot about you."

"Did he?" Emma frowned. She didn't like the sound of this already.

Ruby laughed. "Don't worry, he warned me that you're really tight-lipped about your personal life. He just told me how he met you when you were younger and taught you how to hunt and stuff."

Finally turning her head to look at her, Emma arched an eyebrow. For a werewolf who had tried to kill them, the woman was surprisingly chipper. "Yeah…"

"So I was wondering," Ruby continued. "You know, since you two seem really familiar with each other…"

Emma stared at Ruby for a second before realizing what she was implying. _God,_ people need to stop assuming things about her and Graham. "No," Emma said with a shake of her head, turning her head back to the fire in front of them. "He's just a mentor and business partner. And from what I know, he's available. So… Shoot."

"Oh, okay!" Ruby beamed, sitting up straighter. Emma couldn't help but smile a little at the woman's cheerfulness. It kind of reminded her of Pinky… Emma shook her head. No, she shouldn't think of that. She can't afford to think of such memories right now.

Suddenly feeling someone's eyes on her, Emma turned her head to find Ruby looking at her with a curious, thoughtful expression.

"What?" She shifted in her seat, feeling uncomfortable. She hated it when people stared at her.

"You kind of look like her," Ruby said thoughtfully.

"Who?"

"The maid that helped me escape from Cora," Ruby replied with a soft smile. "Snow White."

Emma stared at her, unsure of what to reply. Does she say thank you? Or ask more on this story? Who the hell calls themselves that, anyway? _Snow White…_ That name...

Instead, she settles on what she does best - sarcasm. "Now that's a name," she whistled.

Ruby laughed. "Yeah, and so is Emma _Swan."_ Emma had to raise her eyebrows at that - she had a point. "But I'm serious," Ruby continued. "You've got the same face shape and eyes, but she has dark hair and yours is blonde... I don't know. You just really remind me of her. You could be related, for all I know-"

"We're not related," Emma cut her off, shifting uncomfortably again. Yeah, she definitely wants this conversation to end.

"You sure?" Ruby widened her eyes and then gave her a mischievous smile. "You and Snow look like you're the same age - maybe she's your long-lost sister or some-"

"Didn't you hear what I just said?" Emma snapped, suddenly feeling irritated. "We're _not_ related. It's impossible. I have no relatives, no 'sisters' - _none._ Okay?"

Ruby's face fell, the innocence of the expression making Emma sigh. She didn't mean to lash out on the poor woman, especially after hearing that her family had been murdered. "Sorry, Red. I.. I didn't mean… I was just… I'm gonna go take a walk."

And with that, Emma stood up and brushed past Ruby, ignoring the questioning look on Hook's face when she walked past him.

* * *

It wasn't very long until she heard the sound of footsteps nearing her. She sighed - she _would_ recognize the way he dragged his leather boots while he walked.

"I'm not in the mood for one of your innuendos, Hook," she said in annoyance.

"Wasn't planning on giving you one, Swan." He appeared by her side, a serious look on his face as he watched her intently. "Something wrong, love?"

"Nothing," she replied dryly, looking straight ahead of her as she walked.

"Well I beg to differ. Miss Red over there looked like she was almost going to cry of guilt."

Emma sighed. Was this Ruby really the menacing werewolf they fought earlier? "She was in the wrong place at the wrong time and said some unfortunate words. Nothing more."

"I found that with women, nothing is always something," Hook mused.

"Well I'm not like most women."

"Aye, can't argue with that..." he agreed, his eyes unreadable as he looked at her, examining her face once again. Emma stiffened at his gaze. _Look away Emma, don't let him read you again..._

"But tonight is an exception. The werewolf said something to set you off, didn't she?"

Emma let out an irritated breath. Resorting to her shield clearly wasn't going to work with this guy. "Maybe," she said evasively.

"Care to share?"

She finally stopped walking and slowly turned her head to look at him. The look in those blue eyes actually did look worried for her, but this confused her. Hook was merely a stranger - why should he be?

"Why do you care?" she asked skeptically.

"Always the suspicious one, aren't you, Swan? Can a man not genuinely worry about a woman's well-being without wanting something in return?"

Emma rolled her eyes. "Well, you _are_ a pirate."

"Indeed…" He trailed off, an unreadable expression in his eyes. "But perhaps… Perhaps I do genuinely care, Swan. You see, you're something of an open book, and while I do get the leisure of reading some very interesting things, I also happen to come across some very… _Relatable_ issues."

"Oh?" She turned away, unable to play this stupid game of provocation anymore. _Open book…_ To hell with this bullshit. She was not going to let him get under her skin. "Well all books must come to an end, Hook, and I'm afraid storytime is over."

She began to walk away from him towards where they had set up camp, but then suddenly, Hook spoke.

"You were abandoned, weren't you?"

Emma froze but kept her back turned to him, remaining silent as he continued speaking.

"You said to Ruby that you had no relatives. No siblings. Nobody." She could hear the rustling of leaves as he began to slowly walk towards her but still, she did not move.

"An orphan is an orphan, Swan, and believe me when I say I am very familiar with abandonment." He finally stopped in front of her and faced her. "It takes one to know one, love. Trust me."

_Trust?_ Where did that ever get her?

She finally lifted her eyes to glare at his, green meeting blue. "Nice try, Hook." She brushed past him, not bothering to see the flicker of emotion pass by his face.

"But I haven't trusted anyone in a long time."

* * *

**A/N: **A few things... The curse is very similar to the canon curse, in the sense that time stood still and people had different identities. However as you've just read, it was Cora who cast it. Why was it her? Who gave her the curse? What about Regina? Haha don't worry - we shall found out :)

Also HookxEmma interactions are so fun to write. They're such complex, unpredictable characters with such a complicated connection. Next chapter will shed a little bit of light of what's going on in Hook and Emma's mind, plus some details about these 'three men'.

Thank you again for reviews! Please do continue with them - I love hearing from all of you :)


	7. Chapter 7

Mystery, he understood. Obscurity, it's a good form of protection. Walls, he builds them himself. But Swan? She was an entirely different universe.

The woman was driving him mad. Just when he believed he got her, she completely shuts him down. Apparently banter nor direct confrontation wasn't going to work. _ I haven't trusted anyone in a long time_, she says. This challenge proved to be more difficult than he thought.

He knew he was doing it again, pushing his luck whenever he saw a glimpse behind her walls, but he could no longer deny it. As much as he hated to admit it, he and the Swan had a bloody connection. _Gods,_ he dreaded this would happen. He could feel the curiosity burning in his brain; his interest in what makes her tick only growing stronger.

It was just like when he was forced to take first watch the other night. She had been talking in her sleep and while Hook initially found it cute and amusing, her mumbling only became more emotionally charged over time. Soon he was curious, so he slowly approached her, trying to catch what she was muttering. He was being risky, for all he knew she was just testing him and was awake the entire time. But then _that_ happened and soon he found himself completely bewildered.

She had started to reach out, her closed eyes scrunched up tightly as her bottom lip began to quiver. And before he knew it, the bloody woman was calling out for someone_, _evidently distressed. It was a pitiful sight, even for a cold-hearted vengeful pirate like Hook, but alas the Swan was just as guarded in her sleep as she was awake, and so she immediately fell quiet shortly after her breathing grew shakier. But nevertheless, Hook soon found his curiosity turn into concern, and before he realized what he was doing, he gently coaxed her to fall back asleep when she had suddenly jerked awake.

He stayed by her side the entire night after that. Well, he couldn't really sleep properly anyway. He had his own nightmares to avoid. But still, he felt an obligation to make sure the exhausted Bounty Hunter had her rest, and so he ended up taking most of the watch that night. Yet it proved to be quite difficult as the Swan kept on drooping her head towards her chest, almost falling over many times. Eventually he had to somehow guide her into lying on the ground so she wouldn't fall face-planted and break that pretty face, but during the process he'd inadvertently let her lie on the long leather coat he was still wearing, thus disallowing him from moving away from her. Hence he really _did _have no choice but to sit next to her the whole night. He'd silently thanked the heavens that the events earlier drained her of any energy during all of this - he knew very well that she'd cut his throat in a heartbeat if it were other circumstances.

The next morning he had half-lied to her, saying he didn't catch anything she said in her sleep, but one can put two and two together. He didn't want to let her know how much he had already observed of her, due to the fear that she may run away and back out on their business agreement. After all, strangers who knew too much were never safe.

Yet he stupidly had to tell her last night how he deduced that she was abandoned too...

It was worth mentioning again: perhaps he couldn't blame her for being so wary about exposing herself, as he too had many secrets he was unwilling to share. Exposure led to judgment, and with the observant Bounty Hunter, her judgment was bound to lead to his demise.

But there was still hope. Now that he found out that it would only be the two of them after they reach Hunter's Point, it made his goal much easier._ And when they finally reach his ship_… But still, he needed gain her trust. Without it, this quest would be brutally difficult, and it will make his job much more challenging than he intended it to be.

But _gods,_ this woman was stubborn as hell. It has been almost two days. It had never taken him this long before - women usually jumped his bones at the sound of his husky voice, and the longest it took for that to happen to him was two hours. Max.

But while most men would find her resistance off-putting, he found her to be a delightful challenge. Yet what kind of game was he playing now? Lust and power? He tells himself that all he wanted to do was to bed her; to taste that porcelain skin; to be the bloke who can say that he successfully unravelled the Bounty Hunter's layers, both physically and figuratively. And if that didn't convince him well enough, he reminds himself that he _needed_ the Bounty Hunter. She was just a pawn in his quest for revenge; his key to the Dark One's destruction. He needed to make her trust him; to find out her weakness and use it to his advantage. Because if he lost her, he was done for. Everything he did to get to where he was now would go to waste, and so will his life.

If he lost her...

He was treading through dangerous waters, that much he knew. He and the Swan were playing a risky game, and he knew very well that she was aware of it. She played along too, much to his surprise, but too many times did the bloody woman already best him.

But for a moment, it wasn't a game. This baffled him. Captain Hook did not falter like this - he did not let anyone faze him. _Bloody hell_, didn't he hate the woman? Perhaps he overestimated himself, because for a moment, he let the game slip out of his mind. For a moment, an _extremely_ brief moment, he actually _did_ care for Emma. Genuinely and sincerely, and without any lustful desire of a reward for his sympathy - something that he could easily get whenever he feigned empathy for a brooding woman.

But it was not pretense. For that split second, it was strangely… real. He tried to convince himself it was because he saw a little bit of himself in her. Familiarity bonds people, no? But he met many orphans and abandoned people in his life, not to mention the Lost Boys he encountered when he came across Neverland. He never felt the urge to delve in deep like this. Why should she be any different in this game?

_Just what kind of player are you, Emma Swan?_

This was dangerous. Very dangerous. He shouldn't care like this. It shouldn't be more than just a game. He should be focusing on his revenge; exchanging meaningless banter - not letting her get under his skin. He needed to close off his emotions, make sure she never knows that he wants her. Go back to his cold demeanour. What happened to him in the past when he let someone get to him like this? Indeed, dangerous indeed...

But most importantly, it wouldn't be fair to his loved one, the reason why he was on this bloody quest for revenge.

He shouldn't care. He doesn't.

But if he didn't, why couldn't he brush off the image of the hurt look in her eyes?

And why did it bother him so much?

* * *

He was doing it again.

She could feel his eyes on her back as she walked in front of him, Edon close by her side. Hook was eerily silent. What was the pirate doing now? Trying to read another page of her? Or was he still "worried"? She had to admit, he was pretty convincing the other night. For a moment she actually believed he was genuinely concerned for her well-being; that he actually understood her. Hell, from what her lie detector told her, he was being honest.

(_And maybe it's because he was?_ Says a little voice in her head.)

'_You were abandoned, weren't you?_' How the hell does he pull these stunts? His knack for accuracy was getting to her nerves, not to mention making her even more suspicious. At first, she had been impressed by the way he played the game - smooth talker; skilled at drawing information from the unwilling. Even though she hated him for it at the same time. But now she was just downright pissed. It was time to up the stakes and set up higher guards with this man. She clearly underestimated him.

But there were more important things to think about. Emma's hand brushed over her pocket, where the folded paper that Ruby gave her lay. She couldn't help but still feel a strange feeling in her stomach whenever she looked at it or even thought of it. There was something sinister tied to those three men who were looking for her, and for once she actually felt... _afraid…_

"That's the fifth time you've touched that, Swan."

Instinctively, she jerked her hand away from her pocket and quickened her pace, trying to out-walk the pirate who had now strode alongside her.

"Yeah? Well good for you, Hook. You know how to count."

"Your sarcasm entices me. Is this how you attract all your suitors?" Hook drawled on, clearly unaffected by her snarky response.

"Don't you have better things to do?" she muttered in annoyance, slowing down her walk. It was no use anymore - Hook was determined to keep up with her.

"Ah but of course. Yes, let's see," he said mockingly, placing a hand on his chin as he looked up the sky thoughtfully. "I was thinking of attending a tea party later today, and perhaps practice my knitting skills, but I decided to skip all of that and do something else. Like _hmm,_ I don't know - _looking for the Dark One?_"

At his irritable tone, Emma glanced from the corner of her eye to see a rather impatient-looking Hook. Well, she wasn't surprised - the pirate seemed to think that she was slowing them down purposefully and hadn't been discreet about his patience wearing thin.

"Captain Hook knits?" she managed to snort out, ignoring the bit about the Dark One altogether.

_"Swan…"_ he said testily.

"Hook," she shot back. "You know, I'm really beginning to have second thoughts on our deal."

"Now, now, lass," Hook said in a low voice, placing his hook gently around her wrist. "No one backs down on a deal with me."

At his action, Emma instinctively twisted her arm and removed her dagger from her waist, so that she was now holding his wrist and had her weapon against his throat. Beside her, Edon let out a low growl, clearly having also seen the subtle threat behind Hook's gesture. Yet the wolf did not move and instead looked at Emma tentatively, waiting for an order. She gave a stiff shake of the head so as to tell him that she will be handling this herself.

"And no one messes with the Bounty Hunter, _pirate,"_ she hissed, glaring straight into his eyes as she moved her face close to his. "If I want to back out, I will."

To her surprise, Hook merely smirked and dipped his head towards her, his voice throaty and low as he spoke. "And _will_ you back out, Swan? Separate our paths only to find that you will eventually get captured by those three men?"

Emma's eyes widened fractionally in surprise. "Oh yes, I do know what has been making you so moody lately," Hook went on when he caught her expression. "What that lovely Ruby told you, no? While I am sure you feel it too, those three men aren't your average enemy, love. They're quite on the mission and from the looks of it, they will stop at nothing."

She didn't move. "And what exactly are you trying to say?" she asked slowly, eyeing him warily.

He leaned in further so that their noses slightly touched. "I'll help you if you help me, Swan. While you are excellent at finding people, I am quite adept at losing them."

"Are you?" Emma challenged him, arching an eyebrow. His closeness and warm, rum-scented breath against her skin made her curse inwardly, but she didn't want to surrender to the bastard just yet.

He let out a strangely humorless chuckle, moving his face close to hers so that he may whisper in her ear. "Pirates, love - we're always on the run."

She froze at the feeling of his scruff graze past her cheek, causing her hold on his grip to lessen. Taking this to his advantage, Hook gently removed his wrist from her hand.

"I'll take _that_ as a 'yes', and I shall take _this-"_ Hook moved his arm from where it had been circled around her waist earlier and grinned, holding up his intact hand for her to see.

Hook was now holding up the paper Ruby gave her, a triumphant grin plastered on his face. _How the hell did he do that?_ She didn't even notice his arm around her, let alone the feeling of his hand in her pocket. But then the memory of how he smirked slyly after she snatched his wrist and pulled herself close against his body slowly surfaced to her mind...

The bastard provoked her on purpose.

"Pirate, remember?" Hook reminded her when her gaping mouth quickly changed into a frown and a glare. "Besides, your moodiness was suffocating me. Ever since you read this bloody thing, you've been insufferable - not that you haven't already been," he added in a distasteful tone.

Oh, so _now_ the pervert was being insulting?

"Give it back, Hook," she said warningly, trying to grab the paper from him. However he merely stretched his hand out of reach and dodged her, stepping out of the way so that he may read it.

"Let's take a look now, shall we?" He gave her a toothy grin as he shook the paper to unfold it. "_Target: Emma Swan..._" Hook trailed off as he continued scanning the paper, his eyebrows gradually furrowing and his grin completely disappearing as he read on silently. Having given up, Emma watched with her arms crossed, as Hook's mouth settled on a deep frown.

"Well I'm hoping the _'lover'_ part will soon be accurate," he commented, intending it to be a playful remark though his eyes showed no amusement.

Emma sighed and took the paper from him. "Slim chance, Hook, but least we can say you're definitely not working with those men." She looked at the paper thoughtfully for a moment before folding it away and stuffing it back in her pocket.

"Why do you think they're looking for me?"

Hook looked at her in surprise, and Emma found herself slightly embarrassed and quite angry with herself. She didn't mean to sound worried at all, and while she tried to keep her voice neutral and steady (something she was very good at), somehow a hint of her anxiety slipped through.

However, Hook simply looked amused. "Are you confiding in me, Miss Swan? And here I thought you were used to enemies. Is that not what you said earlier?"

Regaining her composure, she rolled her eyes. "Not all my enemies have this... _Cora_ woman as their boss. And no, I'm not confiding in you. I'm telling you this because you seem to know about her. Am I right?"

At this, an unreadable expression passed by Hook's eyes and his lips formed a thin line, though Emma was unable to make any further analysis of it as he quickly let out a breath and looked to the ground. "Perhaps, but you need not to worry about Cora. Those men most definitely do not work for her," he said in a low voice.

Emma watched him carefully as he began walking in front of her. "How do you know that? What do you know of her?"

Hook glanced at her from the corner of his eye. "Let's just say I have met her, and she is as ruthless as what the werewolf told you. The gory details need not to be repeated," he replied darkly.

She raised her eyebrows in surprise at his words. "What, you used to work for her, too?"

"Work for _her?_ My life choices are only self-serving - I work for no one but myself," Hook scoffed. To her surprise, he let out a chuckle and turned his head to grin at her. "Well would you look at that - it appears we _are_ quite similar, Swan. Two lone individuals that look out for no one but themselves." Then he quickly looked back at the path they were walking on. "But no worries, love, those three men do not work for that witch. Cora sends only… certain kinds of people to do her dirty work, and those men definitely do not meet her criteria."

Although Emma found his words too vague for her liking, she supposed she'll have to take his word for it - she didn't want to know any gory details of his past encounters with this Cora woman anyway. However, even though Hook said the three men weren't associated with Cora, she still couldn't shake off the feeling that something dark was tied to them, considering the fact they had managed to successfully kill and fight off two werewolves so easily...

"I believe you, but I still can't get that sense of-"

_"Foreboding?"_ Hook finished for her, turning around to look at her. A grave look passed his face as he continued. "Aye, you have good reason to fear for them. I cannot point my finger to it, but they appear to be working for something dark indeed. But I'll tell you once again, lass, you need not worry: after all, you have Captain Hook by your side. I won't let them have _my_ Bounty Hunter."

He gave her a wink, causing her to promptly roll her eyes. The grim, icy expression had disappeared and his bravado was back in action. But for once she didn't feel entirely irritated by his flirty attempts to charm her. Strange enough, she actually felt a little… reassured. She almost snorted at the feeling. _Well what do you know?_ Who knew that of all people, _Hook_ would be the one to ease her mind?

If it were Graham, she would thank him for the reassurance, but Hook was Hook and Emma was still the well-guarded woman, and so she rearranged herself back into her indifferent composure and looked away from him.

Yet despite the alarm bells ringing in her head, a small smirk still tugged at her lips… _"Your_ bounty hunter? I belong to no one-"

The sudden sound of Edon's low growl interrupted her, causing both of them to look at the wolf in alarm. Edon was now looking into the distance and so they followed the wolf's gaze to see Graham running towards them, another wolf not too far from his heel.

"Emma!" Graham called out breathlessly. The dark wolf beside him had disappeared and was now replaced by a rather disheveled-looking Ruby.

Emma furrowed her eyebrows as she looked between the two of them. A bad feeling settled in her stomach as she took in the sight of their apprehensive faces. They were supposed to be scouring the area; was it possible that they saw something…?

"What happened?" she asked slowly, though deep inside she had a feeling she knew.

Ruby stepped forward and gave her a dark look.

"They're here."

* * *

**A/N:** Next chapter - quite obvious _who_ is here ;) Emma, Hook, Graham, Edon, & Ruby fend off the mysterious three men and make way for Hunter's Point, where a boat awaits. But as originally planned, only two passengers were able to make it. What happens to them? What happens to the other three? Where do they go next?


	8. Chapter 8

Emma looked at Graham, who nodded at her in understanding. "Hunter's Point," he said firmly.

He took off in a run, leading them as the others quickly followed suit. "How close are they?" Emma asked.

"Still a bit far, but they're catching up. We only managed to outrun them earlier but their scent is getting stronger," Ruby replied, her eyes trained in concentration as she spoke.

"You're a werewolf, aren't you? Then why in the bloody hell didn't you tear them apart?!" Hook demanded, running close by Emma's side.

"You think I didn't _try?_ They're fucking insane!" Ruby yelled back. She gave Emma a dark look. "They have some Black magic going on, Emma - we have to be careful-"

An arrow flew in-between them, nearly missing their heads as it grazed past Emma's cheek, cutting her skin open. Cursing, she touched her cheek and looked at the blood on her hands, a sight that caused even Hook to swear loudly in fury.

"Ruby, transform now!" she ordered, glancing over her shoulder. _Fucking bastards _- she could see them now: the three men running close behind them. The speed at which they were gaining in on them was unnaturally quick. _How the hell did they reach us so quickly?!_ Emma thought in disbelief as she looked at the man who shot an arrow at them. He gave Emma a crooked grin.

"Hey, pretty missy! Remember me?" the man called out. Yes, she couldn't forget the creepy voice that had pinned her wrists behind her back at the tavern.

She looked back at the huntsman sprinting in front of her, anxiety filling her. _They're gaining in on us; we don't have that much time left_… "Graham, how much farther?!"

As soon as the words left her mouth, they reached what looked like the end of the forest; the trees that once surrounded them completely vanished. Welcoming them was a shore and a small wooden dock in the distance, where a long pole with a small red flag stood.

_Hunter's Point._

She made a movement to sprint towards it but to her surprise, Graham stopped abruptly and looked back at the forest behind them, where the three men, though still at a distance, were still running towards them, and where Edon and Ruby had now began to chase after them.

"What the hell are you doing?! Let's get in the boat-"

"Are you crazy, Emma?! I'm not leaving Edon and Ruby!"

She looked at the incredulous expression on Graham's face, a reaction which she returned. "_You think I'm_- we're not leaving anybody! Let's _go-"_

This time it was Hook's time to give her a look of disbelief. "Are you mad?! The thing is a size of a bloody teacup!" he roared, gesturing towards the boat with his hook.

He was right - the boat was much too small to fit all four of them, let alone a massive wolf like Edon, but she couldn't help it. They needed a way to escape. She looked between Graham and Hook desperately - business or not, she wasn't leaving anyone behind with those three men. Gripping the handle of her sword, she looked back at where the three men were approaching them._ But she can fight..._

Making up her mind, she drew her sword and turned around to face the direction from which the three men were running. But before she could judge how close they were, Edon and Ruby, who was now fully transformed, leapt in front of her, momentarily blocking her view.

First Ruby dashed towards the man who had shot the arrow and pounced on him, causing him to drop his weapon to the ground. Edon followed suit, though he changed his path of trajectory towards a different man, who drew his sword in response to Ruby's attack. Fearing Ruby's warning earlier, Emma began running towards them, her hand reaching into her bag for another weapon to use.

"Watch for the man with the leather gloves!"

At first she thought Graham meant Hook, but she followed his finger to see that he was pointing at the third man who was not fighting against Ruby or Edon. In fact he didn't look as willing as the other two - he was cowering beside a tree, his leather gloves guarding his face as Ruby's claws sliced through the air, nearly missing the long, black coat covering most of his body. He didn't look dangerous at all - harmless even, but then he slowly lowered one hand, the other still guarding his face, and reached for his coat pocket…

A loud whimper caused Emma tear her eyes away from him and whip her head to her left to see a red line of blood forming on Ruby's front leg. The man she was fighting with had tried to stab her with a dagger, causing her to momentarily stumble. Seeing this, Graham let out a yell of fury and rushed towards them. Emma stepped forward to run after him, desperate to help them fight instead of watching, but Hook ran towards her and pulled her back.

"_Leather gloves_," he breathed heavily, pulling her roughly towards him as he pointed in front of them with his cutlass. She looked back at the man who was still beside the tree, though he was no longer cowering. Whatever he had reached for in his pocket earlier was now visible in his hand - a dark, round object, fitting for a toy ball, but although she wasn't sure what it was, she was sure it was anything _but._ The man was watching the other two men who were fighting Edon and Ruby with a tentative, hesitant expression, as if he was waiting, calculating…

_He's going to throw it._ "Graham! Edon!" she yelled to warn them, running towards the fighting bodies with Hook's metal contraption still curled around her wrist. But as soon as the wolf jerked his head towards her, the man with the leather gloves threw the ball towards them, and to her surprise, _Hook_ pushed Emma behind him, yelling for Graham; trying to sprint towards the huntsman and the two wolves before the bloody thing touches them -

_Boom._ The sound of loud explosion filled the forest and a strong force pushed Emma and Hook back, causing them to fly through the air and land hard on their backs. A strong smoke clouded their eyes as they coughed out dirt, but as soon as Emma rubbed her eyes to see clearly, she saw it - a ring of fire where the others were fighting earlier now blazed in front of her, its fiery brightness almost blinding her eyes. _No, no, no… _ Panicking, Emma quickly jerked up to look for any sign that they were still there; that they were still _alive-_

"You idiot! That was the last one we had left!" someone yelled in frustration. "You could've killed her! You know what Boss said-"

"It doesn't matter! At least the wolves are dead-"

_"Emma!"_

She let out a breath of relief at the sound of Graham's voice and strained her neck to look beyond the wall of fire. "Graham! Where are you?!"

"Behind this fire-" But his voice was quickly muffled, causing Emma to panic once more.

"Graham!"

But instead of him responding, one of the three men spoke up instead. "Leave them! They're not important! We need the Bounty Hunter!"

"Swan, we must leave _now!"_ Hook growled, pushing himself from the ground. He quickly picked up his cutlass and slid it back in its sheathe before offering her a hand.

Emma stared at in disbelief. "I-I'm not- no way in _fucking hell_ am I leaving them to die in this fire!"

"_Bloody hell_, Swan, you really think I'm going to _leave-"_

But before Hook could finish his sentence, a knife landed near Emma's feet, and they looked towards the fire to see two of the three men jumping out of the ring and rushing towards them. Hook couldn't believe what he was seeing - they literally moved right through the fire and were completely unharmed, as if they simply hopped over a log that was in their way.

_What is this Black magic…?_ He didn't even try to ask again or yell at her - Hook had no other option. He grabbed Emma's hand and pulled her up, dragging her with him as he began leading them towards the dock.

"Graham! Edon!" Emma yelled, looking back at the fire as she ran, Hook's hand still tightly gripping her wrist. _"Ruby!"_ She could still make out their silhouettes on the ground - it appeared Ruby was back in human form, but she was not moving. Emma's heart leapt to her throat. _Why wasn't she moving?_

"Emma, just go! Go! Stop worrying - we'll get out!" Graham shouted back, the sound of his voice almost relieving her. _"Go!"_

She opened her mouth to yell that she couldn't, that she could still save them and kill these guys; that she was the _Bounty Hunter,_ wasn't she? But then another knife flew towards their way before she could speak.

"You should listen to the huntsman, blondie!" a voice jeered at her. "Don't want your friends dead now, don't ya?"

"You stupid madman! You're going to kill her! We have to bring her alive!" one of the men shouted when the leering man threw yet another knife towards them.

At their voices, Emma pulled her hand away from Hook's grip and reached for her bag, pulling out the small sharp metals that Graham bought for them. _Right leg, left wrist _- Emma flung the metal over her shoulder at her selected targets, not bothering to see whether she succeeded when she turned to continue running.

Looking ahead of her, she saw Hook was now on the dock, standing at the edge as he called for her. "Swan! Any time now!"

"Just go! I'll jump in!" she instructed, bracing herself for a sprint. She took a deep breath, ready to lunge her body onto the boat -

_"Argh!"_

A sharp object cut through her left arm, the pain slicing through her skin. One of the men had thrown back the sharp metal shards that she had thrown at them towards her. But this was the least of her worries. She needed to lure them away from Graham and the others; give Graham some time to help the others to escape. She looked ahead - Hook had untied the boat from the dock and was at a distance quite far from the edge, waiting for her. If she jumped, she would have to swim towards the boat…

Instinctively, she came to an abrupt halt at the very edge of the dock, breathing heavily as she stared hesitantly at the water below her. She looked over her shoulder - the three men were too close; how could she even manage to dodge them and run for Graham…?

"Swan, what in the bloody hell are you waiting for?! Jump!"

Seeing she had no choice, Emma glanced over her shoulder once more and took a deep breath. Then she jumped into the water, the coldness of it soaking through her thick clothing. She kicked and flung her arms around, trying to propel her body towards the boat where Hook was now waiting for her anxiously. _This is how you do it, right…?_

Hook stared at the blonde in disbelief. _What in the bloody hell was she doing?!_ It appeared as though Emma was kicking and splashing frantically - she was hardly swimming, let alone moving at any distance...

Then he realized: _Emma couldn't swim._

He glanced back at the edge of the dock, where the three men had just came an abrupt halt at the same moment. They looked at Emma's aimless movements and seeing their expression, the same realization dawned on them.

"I'll do it!" one of the men said, taking off his jacket. Hook growled when he realized the man was going to dive in - there was no way he was letting them have her.

Hook hurriedly took off his long leather coat and dove into the water after Emma, who was still kicking furiously. "Swan!" he yelled before propelling his body rapidly through the water towards her. But just as he was about to reach her, a hand covered Emma's mouth.

"Sorry, Captain, but we're going to need the Bounty Hunter for a second."

Hook glared furiously at the man who had dove into the water and rushed towards him, as the man was now attempting to drag Emma back towards the dock. But Emma had not stopped moving - she continued to kick frantically around her, this time aiming her movements towards the man holding her. However the man hastily reached into his side and pulled out what appeared to be a sharp, long and thin curved blade. At the sight of it, Hook froze and stared at it wide-eyed, completely shocked. It was the _exact same shape_; the exact same metal sabre-toothed blade…_No… It couldn't be…_

"Who are you?" Hook demanded. He pointed his hook at the blade. "Who gave that to you?"

The man simply chuckled at the threatening gesture. "Oh I think we both know who gave this to me,_ Captain Hook_."

At this, Hook lunged towards the man, who resumed dragging Emma roughly towards the dock. "She's _mine,"_ Hook growled, reaching for Emma's belt with his hook. He grinned when he succeeded - the metal was now safely tucked into the leather strap. Realizing what Hook had done, Emma looked down at her torso and stopped trying to pry the man's hands away. Soon she stopped kicking altogether, allowing for Hook to effectively pull her towards him.

But the man was insistent - he pulled back forcibly, trying to bring Emma back to him. At this, Hook swam towards them, his safely tucked hook allowing him to be pulled quickly towards Emma's body.

"Tough luck, mate. I found her first."

Hook swung his free fist across the man's face, causing the latter to release his hold on Emma and fall back onto the water. Gasping, she began kicking frantically once again.

"Swan-stop-kicking-you-_Swan_!" Hook gripped her arm tightly and gave her a glare. However his hold on her sent a wave of pain through her body, as the cut from earlier was still fresh on the very arm he was holding, and she winced at the feeling.

As if he burned her, Hook quickly removed his hand at the sight of her expression and stared at the blood at his fingers. "You're hurt," he realized out loud. Without waiting for her response, Hook slung her arm across his shoulder and dragged her with him across the water and towards the boat.

"No! What the hell?! _We're losing them_!"

Hook didn't bother to look back at the two frustrated men who were still standing at the docks, watching as Hook helped lift a groaning Emma onto the boat, before hoisting himself up as well.

"Are you all right, lass?" He looked at her through furrowed eyebrows, hovering over her as she lay sprawled on the boat.

She nodded, sitting up straight as she absentmindedly rubbed her left arm. _God,_ that hurt like hell. But that didn't matter - the men were still at the dock. Are they following them? Where were they now? Were Graham and the others okay?

_Graham._ Emma whipped her head towards the shore, where the dock was now a far distance from them. The two men were now busy trying to help the third man out of the water, but that was not of her concern at the moment. At the edge of the forest, she could see that the smoke was still rising in the air; a flicker of flames still visible.

"Graham! Edon! Ruby!" She couldn't just sit here and watched as the flames devoured the trees - she didn't even know if Graham had managed to successfully bring them out of the fire. What could she do? She needed to go after them; she needed to save them-

"Emma."

A gentle hand touched her shoulder and she looked up to see Hook, his expression firm but his blue eyes were filled with a strange expression as he looked down on her. The apology in them pierced her. Deep down inside she knew as well that they couldn't do anything; that these men were not only dangerous, but even appeared to have some sort of dark magic going on, and even Graham knew what was in store for them. _Did he get them out? Did he find a way?_ Hope told her yes, but she was never an advocate of false hope. There was no way - the fire completely surrounded them. _How could they escape...? _

The pain cut through her chest as she looked away from Hook's eyes and slowly turned her head back towards the shore, staring helplessly at the diminishing ring of fire in the distance, in which a huntsman and his two beloved wolves once lay.

* * *

**A/N:** I know - I'm a horrible person.._. _Or am I?

Next chapter: Hook lets Emma in on some disconcerting information & they get an interesting package...

Also, thank you yet again for the reviews! :") No but seriously, your reviews give me life.


	9. Chapter 9

Rippling water was the only sound resonating between them as Emma continued to row the boat with Hook silently watching her. The sound itself should have been comforting to a pirate like him but he only found it more and more excruciating as time went on. It had been only a few minutes since the distant sound of the three men's frustration back at the dock died away, and the blonde in front of him remained completely mute the whole time, staring at the shore where the fire had now diminished into smoke.

Hook still had his hand on her shoulder then and knew it wasn't long until she told him to bugger off, but contrary to his expectations she simply took the wooden paddles and began to row without a word. Ten minutes later, the silence still remained between them; the length of it testing both individuals' patience to stay in each other's presence like this. Yet Hook sat still with his hook resting on one bent knee, pensive as he watched the Bounty Hunter. Her eyes pointedly avoided his, eyebrows scrunched in concentration and labour as she rowed on. He knew that she most likely detested his searing gaze, but Hook was a daring man and so he tested her patience, continuing to watch her intently.

One visible wound glowed against her pale skin: a bloody gash on her cheek from the arrow that had nearly missed her and Ruby earlier. His eyes trailed over to the deep, long cut made on the length of her sleeve, a dark liquid stain on the rip that let Hook know that there was definitely another wound under there somewhere. Sometimes her eyes would twitch slightly while she rowed, and he knew right away that the cut on her arm was no petty bruise. He had to admit that her tolerance was admiring, as most would have winced frequently at such an injury. But from the two days he'd observe her, he learned that Emma Swan was a stubborn lass.

"Care to pass one of the paddles, love? I may have one hand but I can help."

His offer was met with her ignorance of his presence, and Hook wasn't really surprised. The lass believed to have lost a friend, after all, along with her irritable pet and the cheery werewolf, and if the ever-moody Bounty Hunter could be even angrier and more bitter than she was before… Well, he could only imagine the raging storm within her right now.

But he was a pirate, not to mention one who owned a ship and led his own crew, and so the Captain within him was frustrated with the fact that he had to sit in a boat with nothing to do but watch the bounty hunter work in front of him. While the hook was a trusty companion, it was situations like this that made him loathe the Dark One even more for depriving him of his hand. But of course, he was first and foremost a gentleman, and Emma's injury gave another reason for his offer.

The sound of a loud creaking and a bump caused him to slightly startle - after what seemed like an hour, it seemed they finally reached a shore. Emma didn't even give him a single glance when she hopped off the boat and began dragging it further into the shore. Hook followed suit and helped her, both of them wading through the water as they approached land.

When they finally exited the lake, Emma shook the excess water off her pants and turned towards her right and began to walk, still ignoring his eyes that remained trained on her. Hook opened his mouth to speak, but instead raised an eyebrow when she suddenly stopped walking abruptly.

"Thanks."

Unsure what prompted her to say so, Hook stared at her back, which was still turned to him. Finally the Swan acknowledged his presence, but her first words since the long silence weren't exactly what he expected.

"Pardon me, lass, but I don't follow," he said slowly, watching her carefully.

She still didn't turn around but he saw her shoulders slightly raise in what could only be a frustrated sigh.

"I know why you pushed me when that guy threw the bomb," she said quietly. "You were going to try to save them. You didn't have to, but you tried. So… thanks."

Hook blinked at her words. Indeed, he had attempted to run towards the huntsman and the wolves to save them somehow, possibly by throwing his cutlass towards the bomb and interfere it in its path. He knew that it was pointless to do so, considering they probably could have moved out of the way themselves. And not to mention that he didn't exactly need them alive in his revenge - after all, Emma fully said that after Hunter's Point their journey will only consist of them two. Hook wasn't sure what motivated him to do it - he was never one to risk himself like that, unless it ultimately ended to his advantage. But he knew how important they were to Emma, and so he did it anyway. Besides, he bristled at the thought of unnecessary casualties... And _his_ advantage? He told himself it was to make sure the Bounty Hunter's spirit remained satisfied and whole, so as to make his goal easier. But clearly things did not go as planned…

Hook shrugged, suddenly feeling uncomfortable - he wasn't very used to be thanked. "Perhaps I grew fond of wolves."

She turned her head slightly towards him so that he could only see the tip of her nose and her lips, and Hook could've sworn he saw a ghost of a smile. But just as quick as the smile came, it left, and she turned abruptly and continued walking. He could only imagine that the _'thanks'_ either made her even more frustrated with herself, as her walking became more hurried. For a moment Hook wondered how much pride she had to push away to do so - especially if it was thanking someone like him.

"I'm sure they're alive and safe," Hook continued as he followed her. "The huntsman seems like a reliable bloke, especially if he was the Bounty Hunter's mentor."

Unfortunately his compliment didn't stir her this time. Though what he said wasn't truly a lie - after all, they were never able to fully see whether or not they escaped the fire. But at the same time it wasn't a truth, as the fire caused by the men was clearly some sort of Black magic at work.

It seemed that Emma thought the same thing. Abruptly, she stopped walking again at his words and turned to look at him. The look was cold yet surprised, as if she didn't want him there and yet wondered why he still was.

"Count me out, Hook. The deal's off."

Not wanting to hear his protests, she turned to walk away once again, but he caught her arm with his hand.

Hook couldn't believe what the bloody woman was doing. "Have you been blind to what just happened? Have you _seen_ what those bloody men-"

_"Yes,_ I've seen what just happened," Emma snapped. "Those men are fucking insane and almost killed us, not to mention they most likely _burned…"_ She trailed off, her finger pointing shakily at the lake beside them, her eyes ablaze with all the anger and pain inside of her as she looked back at him.

"I shouldn't have agreed to do business with you. I should have never met up with you. It was stupid and reckless, and now it cost me everything. I'm out, Hook. The deal is off."

She roughly shrugged off his hand and turned to walk away, leaving Hook to stare at her incredulously.

"And where will you go then, Swan? Find the men and kill them yourself? See if your friends survived? And if you do succeed, what then? Will you _thrive_ on your revenge-"

She finally spun around and glared at him. "Funny how _you_ should be the one to speak about revenge."

Taken aback, he stared at her, carefully guarding his expression as he did. He had never told her the true reason as to why he wanted to kill Rumpelstiltskin.

"How did you know about that?" he asked in a low voice.

"You're not the only one who can read people." She crossed her arms and gave him a hard look. "The reason you want to kill the Dark One - it's for revenge, isn't it? That's why you've been on the lookout for centuries, trying to fulfill this lifelong goal of revenge for whatever Rumpelstiltskin took from you. Doing whatever it takes; taking whatever risks." She took a step forward and jabbed a finger to his chest. "Well listen here, Hook: you and I - we're one in the same. Only two days, but somehow we understand each other. So understand this: us? This deal; our association? It's off and I'm out. So goodbye and good luck on your revenge, Jones. It was nice knowing you."

With that, she looked into his blue eyes one last painful time and turned on her heel, determined to get as far from him as she could. But it shouldn't be this hard to walk away from him, she thought to herself. _Odd._ It was the first time she referred to him by his actual name and not his moniker. Hook realized that too, and strange enough this made him even more adamant to stop her.

"This is bigger than the both of us, Emma."

She cursed herself for freezing at the sound of her name, and even more so when she heard him take a step forward closer to her.

"You may be as notorious as what your reputation says, Bounty Hunter, but you and I both know that what lies ahead of the path you're about to take will only result in a tragic failure on your end."

She told herself to move away when he took yet another step, to keep on walking and never look back, but still, she remained frozen.

"If they already haven't, they will kill Graham as soon as you find them," Hook continued. "They will capture you and imprison you; force you to work for them. And knowing you, love, you will never comply to murderers, and so they will dispose of you when they see it fit."

Emma clenched her fists at his words and tried to appear indifferent when he finally stood in front of her. He continued. "There is something bigger and darker at play here, Swan. Something you don't quite understand yet. I know you feel it too. You've seen the Black magic they used. I know what they're capable of. Whoever they work for most definitely is not here for child's play, and from the looks of it, those men are looking for much more than just your bounty hunting talents. So walk away if you must, Swan, but if you do so, know that the path you choose is suicide."

Blue seared into green as his eyes bore into hers; a silent challenge of who would break away first for what seemed like the longest time.

"Come with me," Hook finally said in a firm voice.

She scoffed and finally looked away, unable to take his knowing gaze any longer. She turned to leave but was only stopped by his hand, causing her to glare at him. "You really expect me to take you up on that offer? Didn't you hear what I said earlier_? Did you not see what happened to them?_" she hissed.

The determined look on Hook's face hardened. "Swan-"

"No, Hook," she said firmly, yanking his hand off her wrist. One more touch and she swears she will cut his throat. "I don't even give one fuck what happens anymore. They're dead and gone - it's over. I'm going to find those three bastards and give them what they deserve. This Bounty Hunter _will_ have her last hurrah."

It was Hook's turn to scoff. "With what, Swan? Swordplay and your unwavering determination? While you've impressive form, love, it's hardly enough compared to Black magic."

She glared at him. "And what do you suggest? That I forget everything and just run off with you on your ship? Continue to run the deal like nothing happened? Because I'm _so sure_ that will stop those bastards-"

"What I'm _suggesting,_ Swan," Hook said in a low voice, not removing his eyes from hers as he took a step closer. "Is that we work as a team. Come with me and together we can find out what those three men want, and even find a way to stop them. And for certain, too - not just a blind course of action resulting from an impulse to avenge your friends."

Emma narrowed her eyes at him. Why did it feel like he was hiding something? "What's in it for you?" she asked slowly.

To her surprise, he gave her a mischievous smile. "Oh believe me, I haven't forgotten about my own needs. You see, love, I've just thought of a plan. And the place I intend for us to go to just so happens to be the very kingdom the Dark One currently resides in, so believe me when I say we will both get what we want."

Emma had to raise an eyebrow at that. "And where is this place, Hook?"

An unreadable emotion flickered past his eyes before he spoke, until it was replaced by a guarded expression.

"The White Kingdom."

* * *

Playing with fire was something he was used to doing; in fact it was all he has been toying with his entire life. But at that moment Hook wondered if today was the day he finally feels the burn, because such a risky business was too dangerous - especially if he was trying it with the Bounty Hunter.

The thing is, however, he wasn't lying entirely. He just wasn't so sure if his 'plan' would work. Yes, the White Kingdom was where he knew for sure the Dark One was concealed, and if those three men were involved with the Black magic he believed them to be… The haunting image of the curved blade flashed through his mind. If those men are working for who he thinks they are, well then his original plans must change. It was crucial that they journey to the White Kingdom as soon as possible.

Of course, another reason he introduced this new 'plan' was to ensure to Swan that she gets what she wants. He needed to convince her. He needed to sell it to her. It was a long shot, considering Swan's irritating ability to see right through him, but if it works… _Then it works._ And he will be able to complete his end of the deal and skin the crocodile.

But there were other obstacles to take into account; other holes to this plot. Risky, dangerous fire, but he'll find a way through it. Captain Hook always does.

His attention went back to the blonde in front of him, who looked at him as if he had just grown two heads.

"You're not serious," she stated, looking at him incredulously. "The _White_- where Cora lives? No, scratch that - where Cora basically _rules?"_

At the mention of her name, Hook gritted his teeth. He knew he would have to answer questions like these if he intended for them to journey there. But luck was on his side as he remembered that Swan apparently had little knowledge about the White Kingdom.

"I escaped her before and I can do it again," Hook replied quickly. That definitely wasn't a lie, which was why Emma's skeptical look slightly softened.

But as quick as it left, the suspicious look made its return, though more cold this time. "Something doesn't make sense. You came to me saying you needed me to help you find the Dark One, but now you tell me you knew where he was all along?"

"I didn't lie to you, Swan," Hook said, looking at her straight in the eye. "I told you I had many leads in regards to his location, but not his exact dwelling place. You said yourself you look for people who don't want to be found, am I not correct? Well, the Dark One has concealed himself somewhere in that kingdom. And I've heard of and seen what you're capable of, Swan, so I truly believe that despite that fact, you can still track precisely where that is."

Emma peered at him, and Hook knew she was carefully evaluating his words for any lie. Finally, her eyebrows relaxed, causing his own tension to release as well. He watched as her look softened - _ah, so she's going to do it; she's going to say yes-_

But she didn't. Instead, to his complete bewilderment, Emma burst out laughing.

"Wow," she said, shaking her head as her laughter died down. "You selfish bastard. You really got me there."

But just as sudden as her laughter came, the hard, cold look returned once again. "All right, Hook, let's get on with it. What do you know?"

She watched as he deadpanned, looking back at her with the same carefully guarded expression. Impressive. The Captain would be an excellent poker player. But she wasn't an idiot - she didn't miss the flicker of frustration that briefly clouded his eyes. _Did he really think I would fall for that?_ There was definitely a reason why he conjured up that plan out of thin air. Yet he wasn't completely lying. Obviously he kept gearing towards the White Kingdom mainly so he could get his revenge, and he honestly needed her help, but Hook knew better than to carelessly by bring up such an excuse of a plan. There must be another reason why he introduced this plan to her - one that would get Emma to comply for sure. The pirate knew something about those three men, and from Emma's readings, it had something to do with going to the White Kingdom.

"Forgive me, Swan, but I'm not so sure what-"

"Cut the bullshit, Hook," she snapped, her eyes dangerous as she stepped towards him. She wasn't going to let his pretty words beat around the bush this time. "You know something. I saw how you looked when that guy pulled out that blade. You know something about those men, Hook, and you better tell me _everything_ before I cut that last hand off."

He remained silent, carefully guarding his expression as he crossed his arms, watching her intently. She could tell he was trying to choose his words carefully.

_"Well?"_ Emma said irritably, tapping her foot impatiently.

Hook shifted at her demanding tone but his expression remained the same as he spoke. "Cora…" he began in a low voice. "…Is definitely not who those men are working for. That I am absolutely positive."

"_Hook_…" Emma warned dangerously. He was telling the truth but she was getting impatient with the way he liked to beat around the bush.

"But there is another witch," Hook continued, his expression darkening as he spoke. "One greater and more fearsome than her. One that happened to be Cora's very mentor and leader, at one point. I believe her to be the one who sent those three men."

She stiffened at this revelation. "And who is she?"

"_I will not speak her name,_" Hook hissed, momentarily losing his cool, though he collected himself shortly after. "But the Witch has many titles. For example-"

But before he could finish his sentence, a loud screech filled the air above them, and they both looked up to see where the sound had come from.

In the sky was a black soaring figure - a bird, from what it looked like. It screeched loudly once again before swooping down towards where they stood in the forest. Emma and Hook ducked, reaching inside their jackets in case it was an attack. But instead of aiming rapidly towards them, the bird flew around them in a circle, gradually and gracefully, before finally slowing down towards where Emma was standing, dropping something into her palm as it settled gently on her wounded arm.

Completely bewildered by what just happened, she looked at the strange bird curiously before looking down at her hand to see what it had dropped.

Her heart stopped when she realized what it was.

It was a message.

And wrapped around it was Graham's bracelet.

* * *

**A/N:** Oh Hook, you selfish, selfish pirate… And you really didn't think I was really going to kill Graham & Ruby just like that, did you? ;)

Thank you for such great reviews! I'm so glad you enjoy it so far. Lots & lots of mysteries and development being unfolded the next few chapters!


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N:** Just finished writing chapter 12 and wow, I can't wait for you all to read it. Hope you enjoy this chapter. Keep it up with the reviews, my wonderful wonderful readers! Your enthusiasm just brings more joy to this writing process :)

* * *

Standing on a wooden dock were three angry men, all of whom were clad in black clothing. Although they served the same purpose, it was no doubt that they were very, _very_ different people, each with their own individual goal. Thus it was quite the surprise that they were able to work together, let alone come this far.

"You imbecile! This was all _your_ doing - if you haven't been tossing arrows and knives at them so carelessly-"

_"Me?!_ Careless?! You're the moron who threw that magical bomb in the air like it was fairy dust. Though I have to admit it _was_ a good touch-"

"I told you a million times already - it's not _magic;_ it's _science,_ you insufferable madman-"

"Well that _is_ what they call me-"

_"Are you finished?"_

The two men stopped bickering and looked down below at the third man, who was glaring at them furiously. The smug smirk on the one who had been called a madman quickly slipped away as he took in the sight of the glaring man below him. He was still submerged in the water, his dark hair and scruffy beard dripping wet, and he most certainly did not look too pleased. Muttering quick, half-hearted apologies, they hurried over to help him get out of the lake.

"Madman, scientist - it doesn't matter whose fault it is. We _all_ failed," the man said grimly as he stood up, shaking water out of his black coat.

"What do we do now? There's no way we could follow them at the moment if they're on boat . Plus they're headed for the Dark Forest, which is miles on foot from here," the Madman said, hastily following the drenched man as he began to walk towards the shore.

"Indeed, and the pirate Captain is still with the Bounty Hunter," the Scientist pointed out. "They will be in the White Kingdom by the fourth sunset, and we've been warned not to set foot there."

The Madman glanced ahead of him, where a cloud of smoke was now rising into the air. "You think Blondie will come back for the huntsman and his pets?"

The Scientist nodded his head slowly, furrowing his eyebrows pensively. "It is a possibility. They are very good friends after all…"

"No," the Third Man said. "I don't think so. Hook saw this-" he held out a long, curved blade for them to see. "-and he recognized it right away. He knows who we work for now. It'll be to our advantage that he does."

"And how is that?" the Scientist asked in confusion.

"300 years of seeking revenge." The Third Man looked up from the blade and gave them a smirk. "You all know who lives in the White Kingdom now, don't you?"

They slowly nodded their heads. "Yes…"

"Well," the Third Man said, coming to a halt in front of the source of the cloud of smoke. "You know what the Boss said about Hook - he's selfish and vindictive, but also resourceful. Since he knows who we work for, it will be easy for him to convince the Bounty Hunter - who, by the way, most likely thinks her friends are dead - to travel to the White Kingdom. And well, since we all know that the Witch used to be an inhabitant of said Kingdom…" He trailed off, peering at the ground where three figures lay.

"...The Bounty Hunter will listen to the pirate, flee there with him for her revenge, and Hook gets what he wants," the Scientist finished disapprovingly.

"Sounds rather pleasant for Hook, but what about us?" the Madman growled. "Both the Boss and the Witch won't be happy if we come empty-handed, and we all know how temperamental that bitch can get."

"I agree," the Scientist said darkly. "Recall what happened to the former cricket? Jiminy, was it? I didn't recognize him at all after."

They all shuddered at the gruesome memory.

The Third Man remained silent, however, and bent down, poking the hairier one of the figures. _Dead._ He poked the other one who was clad in bright red. _Hmm, alive._ Then he lifted his hand towards the last figure…

"We won't come empty-handed," the Third Man suddenly spoke up. "We'll get the Hunter _and_ the pirate - I'm sure the Witch will be thrilled to see Hook again. Double reward for us."

The Scientist frowned. "How? We just established that it's uncertain that the Hunter will return to retrieve her friends due to Hook, and that it will take days to catch up to them."

The Third Man reached over and picked up the leather bracelet from the last figure. "Oh she will come to retrieve her friends. It may take days, but she will," he said, shoving it in his pocket. He felt the cold, wet metal against his fingers as he did.

He took it out and lifted it into the air, the red stain on it gleaming under the sun. Then he put two fingers in his mouth and whistled.

"She just needs a little convincing."

* * *

_**"Dead Man's Cove. Third Sunset. Your friend misses you."**_

Emma tore her eyes from the paper and clenched it into her hand, gritting her teeth at the words. Breathing heavily, she looked at her left wrist, where Graham's bracelet was now wrapped around.

_Fucking bastards_. She didn't even have time to revel in her short-lived relief that her friend was alive. Reading the note those men had sent her caused her blood to boil in anger and took away the relief entirely. Graham may be alive but knowing that those bastards were holding him for hostage made her unforgiving.

Hook was right - these guys definitely weren't idiots messing around. They used a Tracker, a rare messenger bird who can find those who they are meant to find, as long as they had the person's blood scent. She grimaced at the throbbing wound concealed underneath her sleeve - _clever, sick bastards_. They probably still had the metal they sliced her skin with and gave it to the Tracker so it could give her this message.

Behind her, Hook muttered the words quietly under his breath. "_Dead Man's Cove…_" He swore loudly, causing the birds to flee from the trees above them. _Those bloody bastards_. That was where his ship was anchored. There was no way in bloody hell he was going to let them touch her.

"Look's like Lady Luck's on your side, Hook. We're heading to your ship after all," Emma said, shoving the paper into her pocket as she began moving forward.

"Bloody right, we are," he growled. Then he frowned, recalling the message on the paper. "Third sunset? Is there any way we could hasten this journey? I'm not letting those bloody bastards anywhere near my ship."

"This forest is too big to arrive there in less than three days. But if my calculations are correct, we'll most likely reach there first. Those shitheads will have to walk the perimeter before they reach your ship, unless they have a boat or can somehow poof their way there." She glanced at him. "There was a reason I initially chose for us to cross the Blue Lagoon - the Dark Forest is the best shortcut to your ship."

Hook's frown only deepened. "The Dark Forest, Swan?"

A smile tugged at the corner of her lip, though she wasn't anywhere near happy. "Correct, Jones. You're now walking in the forest where the Dark One used to live."

At this, Hook muttered a string of profanities. Emma ignored him and stopped walking - they reached what appeared to be some sort of entrance to the deeper parts of the forest, as the path ahead of them was dimmer. She slowly pulled out her sword and gestured towards her.

"Brace yourself, Hook. We're walking on enemy ground."

* * *

It was eerily silent as they cautiously walked through. Their hands never left their weapons as they looked to their left, right, up, down. The increasingly cold air seemed to have a life of its own as it seeped through their clothing, painting goosebumps on their skin.

There was no living creature in sight besides them, something that may be disconcerting to those who knew about the legends of this Forest, but Emma knew better than that. Little did people know that the Dark Forest was not to be feared for its dangers during the day, but rather for the threats that await the trespasser once the sun sets - fitting for its infamous name, one would suppose. So if Emma and Hook wanted to live by the next morning, they had to find higher ground soon, preferably a nice, large tree with thick, wide branches where they can easily sleep. Emma darted her eyes around the forest, simultaneously looking out for danger while trying to find the tree that Graham showed her a couple of years back, when they were on the run from a couple of soldiers...

A pang hit her chest at the thought of her old friend. From the eight years they've been partners, it seemed they were always either looking for someone or running from another. In all occasions, they always looked out _for_ each other. _But this time..._ Emma subconsciously pulled at her sleeve, trying to get rid of the shiver that ran through her spine. This time it was different. They were dealing with something out of their expertise; something much beyond their knowledge. Or as Hook had so ominously told her, something dark. Fear ran through her blood for Graham. _If they hurt him... I'm going to kill them_, she promised.

All of a sudden, the feeling of something heavy draped around her back and shoulders, and for a fraction of a section Emma tensed and her hand jerked at her dagger, her natural instincts taking over. But then the familiar smell of leather and spice infiltrated her nostrils, and she felt the knots in her body slowly relax despite herself.

Hook had given her his leather coat, presumably because he had noticed her shivering earlier. She stiffened uncomfortably at the realization of this sudden kind gesture - Emma Swan wasn't very used to such actions, and she couldn't think of a reason why he would spontaneously decide to be chivalrous. Thus she couldn't help but feel a little bit suspicious towards the pirate, who was still walking silently beside her.

"Ever the gentleman," she managed to mutter, keeping her eyes straight ahead of her.

"Always, love."

The usual charming lilt was there, but there was a slightly serious edge to his voice that made her glance at him from the side of his eyes. Indeed, Hook's face was as serious and cryptic as ever, and although his eyes remained focused on the path ahead of them, she could tell that he was in deep thought. And from the way his eyebrows were pinched together, ever-so slightly, it was enough to indicate that his thoughts were not in a good place.

_He must really love his ship_, she thought to herself, though she knew very well that was probably not the only thing he was thinking about. Hook had been adamant in bringing them to the White Kingdom earlier, and although she saw mostly honesty in all his explanations, she couldn't help but to think that there was a guarded obscurity in those eyes when she tried to read further into him. This shortcoming of her unique ability to call out on dishonesty irritated her - she wasn't very good at deciphering half-truths, and it appeared that Hook realized this weakness.

And just as his moniker crossed her mind, Hook's blue eyes suddenly snapped towards hers, their eyes locking briefly. Emma quickly looked away, trying to school her expression into neutrality. She cursed herself when she felt her heart pound against her chest - she didn't realize that she had been watching him for that long, and she wasn't happy with the pirate knowing that either. But why did she feel so panicked when he caught her, anyway? Hook knew well that she was constantly onto him, as he wasn't exactly on top of her extremely short list of trustworthy people.

_But he can read you_, a voice told her. _And he_ wants_ you to try to read him, too. He thinks you'll lose. That's the kind of game he plays._

Well she definitely wasn't going to lose to him.

When he (surprisingly) didn't comment on her watching him, she decided to bring up what has been bugging her at the back of her mind. "Don't think I forgot, Hook," Emma said, eyes still trained on the path ahead of them. "Tell me more about this... Witch woman. Cora's mentor. What do you have to do with her?"

A brief silence followed her question, and Emma didn't have to glance at him to know that he was pondering on it, evidently trying to stew up a clever explanation to sell to her. Irritated, she opened her mouth to tell him to quit the word games, but he cut her off instead.

"Have you ever heard of Neverland?"

The deep seriousness of his voice was enough to make her turn her head towards him. He was no longer looking at her but rather at the path in front of them once again, and his face had a stiffness to it - as if he was concentrating on something, and trying to be careful about it. But although his eyes remained as abstruse as ever, Emma found herself uneasy about the way he looked. Perhaps she'd gotten used to his usual smug flirty nature, but whenever he switched to seriousness, good news never resulted.

"No," she finally replied, turning away from him.

"It is the place where certain children go when they dream in their sleep," Hook continued in his low voice. "And it is precisely that: _a dream_. A place where all lost, lonely children run off to when the awake world is too much for them to handle."

He paused, presumably to wait for her input, but Emma couldn't speak. A familiar feeling crept up from the deep crevices in her body at the sound of his words, a feeling she had tried to nurture many times in her youth, only to be left with fragments that she stuffed deep inside her soul, covered by the guards she jealously protected. She wondered how it was possible that she never heard of this place before, but then again maybe she did visit that place once, twice, or a thousand times in her childhood. Or maybe even now, if it was possible for adults to do so…

It was as if Hook said it knowingly, too - as if he had a clue that it would impact her somehow and elicit an exposing reaction from her. But Emma was still vigilant and kept her features smoothly unaffected as they walked on.

When she remained silent, Hook spoke up once again. "A dream, it may be called, but it is real. Very real, although the land itself begs to differ. It is a glorious place with unimaginable beauty and wonder, its every corner full of hidden secrets that taunt you into unravelling them. Neverland is a majestic place indeed, but the more beautiful you find it, the more you desire it, and therefore the more deadly it is."

He paused for a moment and looked at Emma before saying, "Kind of like you, Swan."

She snorted at the unexpected return of his flirty nature, but there was a different edge to his playful tone that she was quick to notice shortly after. And when she glanced at the corner of her eye to look at him, there was no smugness in his expression as she expected, but instead his face remained as stony as before, eyes drawn away from her once again, as if he had never looked at her in the first place.

Hook didn't wait for her to respond and continued. "I have been there a couple of times, each time an unpleasant experience, as you'd expect. And during one of those visits, I happened to come across the Witch herself. She was much younger back then; much softer and quite naïve, now that I recall. Gentle sometimes, like a flower, but at the same time as menacing as a bloody tiger. She had a dark past filled with anger and hatred, something that could have possibly been tamed if she hadn't met _him."_

Emma turned to look at him, surprised by the bitterness of his tone, but by the way Hook was now seething, she didn't have to ask who _'him'_ was.

"The Crocodile," Hook spat, pronouncing the word as if it were poison. _"Rumpelstiltskin._ The Dark One took a particular interest in her and taught her his wicked magic ways, making his new student as sinister as he was. But one day the Crocodile disappeared on her for whatever reason, and she seemed to be very vindictive about it as she devised a plan to stop him. Hearing this, I went to Neverland to seek her out in the hopes of aligning forces with her since we both shared the same interest of destroying the Dark One."

"You'd join forces with someone as evil as the Dark One?" Emma said, unimpressed with this revelation.

The hatred in Hook's eyes flickered when he looked at her. "Aye. I don't care what I do or who I work with, as long as they provide me a means to my end." Then he looked away from her, his expression placed back into guardedness. "Which is why I chose to go to you, Swan."

She didn't know what to make of this or what to reply, but strangely she felt like she could relate to such desperation. "So what happened? Did she help you?" she asked.

_"No,"_ he replied darkly, the word leaving as a growl from his mouth. "She double-crossed me and almost stole my ship. Long story short, I managed to thwart her and steal from her the poison with which she was planning to kill the Crocodile. But as you'd expect, she wasn't happy with me escaping her and stealing from her at the same time, as it just so happened that I stole the very last stock of that poison's supply. So the Witch decided to send me a warning and a package to remind me who I was dealing with."

He fell silent, fuming wordlessly before speaking once again. "She murdered my first mate and sent me his hat filled with each of his bloody fingers that she cut off, vowing to find me and kill me as well. But it has been many years since I've heard from her, so I assume something else garnered her interests. But now that those three men are here under her orders…"

"Then she'll kill you once she finds out you're with me," Emma finished with a frown. Hook gave a stiff nod.

Silence passed between them again, each in deep thought. This 'Witch' woman was already making her blood boil, but she was definitely not someone who should be underestimated. If she was the Dark One's student _and_ Cora's mentor… Emma shuddered at the thought. Who knew what evil she was capable of? But the question remains once again; the thought that confused her endlessly:

"Why does she want me?" Emma asked. "What the hell could she possibly want me for?"

Hook's eyes furrowed, a deep frown settling on his face. "That I do not know, Swan. I've been pondering on it myself and couldn't figure out a good enough reason as to why she'd require your services."

A short pause followed, then Emma asked, "She's now in the White Kingdom with Cora?"

"I hardly know, but I doubt it, since she and the other witch are also not on friendly terms," Hook said grimly. Then he immediately spoke up before Emma could ask the next question, glancing at her quickly before he did. "The reason I'm adamant about going there, however, is because I left the poison I stole from her in that kingdom. It could be used to destroy her."

Emma studied his face from the corner of her eyes for a moment, before finally concluding that he was telling the truth. She contemplated on Hook's words: from the sound of it, this 'Witch' was dead set on finding Emma and capturing her for her own uses, but instead of going after Emma herself, the Witch sent three men after her. This could only mean that Emma was just a pawn in the Witch's plan and not something so important that would make her seek after Emma herself. Indeed, the Witch was definitely plotting something that required Emma's notorious bounty hunting skills and for some reason she wanted and sought only Emma, yet instead of approaching her and talking business like most of Emma's clients did, she decided to play this game of wild-goose chase...

But Emma knew what kinds of people worked this way, and she knew very well that whatever she was needed for was something other bounty hunters couldn't accomplish (or refused to accomplish). The Witch wanted her to do something that she knew Emma would never agree to do, and so she decided to instill fear through force and mystery, hiding behind the scenes while other people did her dirty work.

"She's never going to stop until she captures me," Emma stated aloud, mostly to herself.

"Aye," Hook replied grimly.

"It's a trap."

Hook glanced at her and nodded slowly, a curious expression on his face as he watched her. Yes, taunting her to retrieve Graham was definitely a trap, but little do those three men know who they were dealing with. Emma subconsciously held on to Hook's leather jacket, wrapping it around her tightly as another cold breeze swept past them. Using Graham as bait was not a smart move - they will die the minute Emma lays her eyes on them, and if this 'Witch' still tried to mess around with her, Emma will be ruthless. Black magic or not, she wasn`t letting this 'Witch' toy with her.

But then she thought about Ruby's story about Cora and the massacre she committed on the werewolf's clan. If Cora was that sinister, what more could this other 'Witch', the one who supposedly 'mentored' Cora, be?

"Cora _and_ 'the Witch'," Emma muttered with a scoff. "You make some pretty interesting friends, Hook."

"I wouldn't exactly call those witches my _friends,_ Swan," Hook said in a distasteful tone. Then he shot her a mischievous grin, taking a step closer to her. "But you, love, can be my _'friend'._ Unless you'd be open to developing something a little more…?"

Emma rolled her eyes and ignored the suggestive tone underlying his now-husky voice. It seemed his bravado had made its return. "Friends trust each other, Hook, and I'm still skeptical about you." Then she paused, a thought passing her mind. "Can we call 'the Witch' something else? It's getting harder to separate the term from Cora since apparently she's a 'witch' too."

Hook sighed and took a step away from her, apparently deciding to let go of the banter for a moment. "Well there are other titles she enjoys encouraging." He paused for a thoughtful moment. "As I've said, there's the Twilight Witch-"

"Still has the word 'witch'," Emma pointed out.

"...and the Heiress of Shadows-"

She gave him an unimpressed look. _Really?_ Who the hell calls themselves that?

"And there's the Queen of Mayhem, the Disturber of Peace, the Woman of Many Monikers…" Hook gave Emma a sly grin, knowing fully well that she knew he was just making up complicated names now just to annoy her.

"Anything _else?"_ Emma asked.

"Ah, but there is another name - much less complicated and less fancy than the others," Hook answered dramatically. "The most common and infamous one yet. Perhaps you've heard of it."

"And what _is_ it, Jones?"

He paused for a moment at the sound of his surname and then turned to look at her, a smirk forming on his face as the name left his lips.

_"The Black Fairy."_

* * *

**A/N:** Lol yes, I'm bringing in the Black Fairy in this fic! For those who don't know, she was mentioned by the Blue Fairy in 3x10 when she gave the Black Fairy's wand to be used to stop Peter Pan. Idk if it's just me, but I could see a possible importance for the Black Fairy in future seasons, which is why I decided to make her significant to this plot (while staying very true to canon). Also I don't think many people have toyed with the idea before so let's see how this experiment goes ;) I have many things planned for the mystery behind the Black Fairy (well, the mystery behind everyone in general haha), so stay tuned!

Also: the three men are The Madman, the Scientist, and… who?! Haha the first two are really obvious (their names will be revealed soon) but I wonder who you guys may think the Third Man is :) Any guesses?

Interesting though how we know the Witch is behind the three men, but I wonder who's the 'Boss' they keep talking about… We'll find out in a couple of chapters ;)

Excited for you all to read the next chapter, which is brings light to the reason behind the Curse & also some stuff revealed about Hook & Emma :) Thanks again for the reviews! I appreciate them so much!


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N:** My muse was on a rampage with this one. Hope you enjoy it nonetheless, esp. HookxEmma at the end :)

Also it has been mentioned that Emma can't swim - that will be addressed next chapter. There's a reason for it!

* * *

What is the purpose of a _'sorry'_ but to express regret for your transgressions; to take responsibility for them and ensure that the mistake will not be repeated? The word speaks of a promise of change; a promise that '_this will never happen again'_. A promise that the word won't be repeated for the same reasons.

But apologies dripped from his mouth like withered rose petals, stripping him of all the excuses he had tried to make for the reasons why he repeated the same mistake over and over and over again, until he was left bare and exposed for what he truly was:

A liar. A coward. A _monster._

_"I'm sorry, Bae…"_

The apology echoed in his mind and vibrated across his lips in a whisper as he lit a candle for what felt like the millionth time. It will have been almost three centuries since he last saw his lad, and yet even with his insurmountable Dark abilities he was still not able to find him. But he was so, _so_ close - oh yes, he could feel the hopeful energy in the air. It will have been just as he has seen it with the Eye: the breaking of the Curse. The future with his son. And perhaps, if he could make amends, a future with…

_"I know there is more to you than just a Beast. There is human still - I believe it."_

_"And how would you know that?"_

_"Because I know __**you."**_

Even he, the great and fearsome Dark One, could not prevent the shards of glass cutting through his black heart at the thought of her. _Belle…_ But it was all the more reason to justify what he had done. All the more reason for him to justify why he carried out his carefully devised plan the way he did. To find him. To find her.

Oh yes, he will find them. And it was all thanks to one vengeful being. He was fortunate that all those years ago, he stumbled across his most successful student yet, and that she was as vengeful and ruthless as he was. _The Black Fairy…_ How touching that she had taken up a title so similar to his own, even after he enraged her by suddenly disappearing on her when she needed him the most.

But when he found that she too had also taken a certain student of her own - a woman that happened to live in the very Kingdom that he was now imprisoned in - he sought after the Black Fairy again, who willingly accepted the Great Curse that he offered her, after hearing what it could do. Suddenly all past transgressions were forgiven, it seemed. He remembered the look on the Black Fairy's face when he told her that there was a price for such magic: _'A Saviour?_' she had said incredulously. '_Who can and_ will_ break the Curse?' _Unfortunately she never gained deeper knowledge on this subject as he evaded it entirely, and disappeared on her once again.

Unsurprisingly, the Black Fairy was furious and vowed to kill him if he didn't answer her questions about the Great Curse he had given her, and even attempted to, many times._ Idiotic girl_, thinking _she_ could surpass _him,_ the Dark One... But he was hardly worried; it was all part of the plan. He skillfully dropped the right clues for her to pick up, and soon enough she left her desire to kill him entirely and sought for something else: the Saviour. Just exactly how he planned it.

Indeed he knew very well what she was going to do and just who she was going to use to do it: Cora, the ever power-seeking woman who lusted after royalty, was the very pawn in the Black Fairy's little scheme to capture the Saviour. The Black Fairy taught her student a smaller version of the Curse, and convinced Cora to cast it on the Kingdom so she may be granted the wish she had for her daughter. Meanwhile the Black Fairy could find the 'Saviour' he had warned her about, using the Cursed identities to her advantage.

He let out a tiny cackle._ Stupid, foolish women_. Little do they know the Saviour already escaped the curse and was no longer in the White Kingdom as they both believed. How brilliant he was in leading them to believe they were looking for the only one who can find the Saviour, when secretly, that person _is_ the Saviour! _The Bounty Hunter… _He wondered briefly which woman will retrieve her first…

But it didn't matter - the Saviour will arrive here regardless. It was what was seen and told by the Eye, and all futures seen in the Eye always came true. She will break it and he will be reunited with them again... And well, it didn't matter what happened to him in the end anymore, as long as he was able to accomplish what he came here for; the sole reason for why he had formulated this meticulous, well-hidden plan:

To find his son. To find his Belle.

And to say sorry one last time.

* * *

A loud bang was heard from the stairs below and he felt a tinge of irritation. _What could that witch possibly want now?_ He thought that after Cora had consulted with him in regards to the Curse, she would have been entirely satisfied with the information he gave her and would finally leave him in peace.

But evidently peace was not in store for him as the footsteps thumping on the stairs grew louder, quickly approaching the room he was in. Bracing himself, he snapped a finger to draw a curtain to cover the room with his candles and turned around, an unimpressed expression ready to be plastered on his face.

However what he found was not Cora stopping by for a visit, but instead her _daughter_ fully clad in her elaborate royal attire, marching towards him purposefully. He raised an eyebrow at the dangerously livid look on her face. "Queen Regina, to what do I owe this pleasure-"

_"You did this."_

She stopped in front of him, breathing heavily as her finger pointed threateningly at his chest.

"Did _what,_ your Majesty? I'm afraid I've done many things in my long life."

"You know exactly what I'm talking about," she hissed, narrowing her eyes at him. She pointed at the window close to them. "This Kingdom. _You did something_."

The amused smirk fell off his face at her words and was briefly replaced by surprise, until he hastily returned to his usual chipper attitude. "Elaborate, dearie. I've contributed many things to this Kingdom."

Regina was quick enough not to miss the sudden change in expression and barked out a laugh. "Don't toy with me, Rumplestiltskin. You and I both know exactly what you did." Her lips twitched into a snarl as she glared at him, hissing the next words dangerously. "_Why did you curse us?_"

This time he didn't bother to hide the surprise on his face. _Ohoho,_ well he certainly didn't expect this. He smirked at her. "Is this a suspicion or have you… _stumbled upon _something to convince you?" Or _someone,_ he thought, displaying the unsaid words through his knowing smirk.

She clearly read in-between the lines as she momentarily paused and glanced to the side. "Robin," she said simply, keeping her face neutral. Then the glare snapped back to his direction again. "Why isn't the entire Curse broken? True Love's Kiss is supposed to break all curses."

He gave her a wicked grin and began to pace the room, talking animatedly as he did. "Indeed it does, dearie! But I'm afraid True Love's Kiss only broke _your_ cursed self - not the entire Kingdom."

"_Then break the whole thing,_" she commanded with a snarl.

Stopping, he let out a long, irritated sigh. "Shouldn't you be asking your mother about this? I'm sure you should remember by now that it was dear Mother Cora who cast it herself." He looked up at the ceiling with a mocking, dreamy expression. _"Ah,_ for the sake of her daughter's well-being. Just so lovely Regina could become Queen."

Regina snorted. "Don't speak to me about that woman. She may have cast it, but this magic is too Dark - even for _her._ There's only one person who could be behind something like this." She glared at him accusingly, making her point.

"Need I remind you that the Black Fairy was the one who gave it to her? Teacher gifting student type of thing."

She rolled her eyes. "And who was the one who taught the Black Fairy the Dark magic she knows?" She narrowed her eyes at him. "Don't test me, Rumplestiltskin. You may be the Dark One but don't forget what I'm capable of, too. Now tell me _why did you curse us and how can you break it_?"

"Tut tut, I wouldn't be so confident if I were you, dearie." He looked at her thoughtfully for a moment before adding with a sigh, "But I suppose I can tell you - perhaps you'll be useful."

He began pacing the room again as he spoke. "You're right - I taught the Black Fairy about this curse. But while I never directly instructed her to tell your mother to cast it, I suppose you can say I carefully_ pulled the strings behind the scene_." He looked at her, the wicked grin forming on his face once again. "I wanted something from the White Kingdom specifically and I intended to retrieve it, so I made sure the curse was cast here to make my search easier."

"And you had to erase and change our identities all because you wanted something from here?" Regina stated in disbelief. "You made us stranded fools in this land, making Time stand still for _28 years_ - just to '_get something'_? What the hell were you looking for?!"

"_That's none of your business_," he snapped, giving her a sharp look before absentmindedly fiddling with a paper on his desk. "The identities were something your mother made up - not me. But the 'Time standing still' part… Yes, that was all me."

Regina gave him a mocking smile. "And did you find what you were looking for?"

He clenched the paper he had been playing with at her question. _"No,"_ he replied in gritted teeth. "But I will soon… He-it's here… I know it - I _saw_ it…"

Regina huffed out a frustrated breath at how Rumplestiltskin was now muttering to himself and glanced at the paper he was now crushing in his hand. She peered at it, curiously looking at the sketch that was on the paper. _That picture…_

"Your son," she suddenly stated, voicing her thoughts. She looked up at him. "You're still looking for that boy, aren't you?"

All amusement was gone from his face as he deadpanned, looking back at her silently.

"Why a curse?" she pressed on. "And if he's here, why haven't you found him yet?"

Something flickered in his wide eyes and for a moment Regina believed that he was going to strike her for prodding into something that was clearly deeply personal. But to her surprise, he simply pushed the paper aside and looked away from her.

"Have you noticed that no one has left this place, dearie? And even if they wanted to, they end up staying here, somehow?"

She nodded slowly, eyeing him carefully. "The curse was designed that way - I can't leave as well," he continued. " And there was… The Eye. Only sometime during or after the breaking of this curse I will be reunited with… him. It must be that way, as that is what the Eye showed me, which is probably why I still have not found him."

Well she supposed that made sense. She knew that his son didn't exactly had the fondest memory of his father and would most likely run away as soon as he found him. So the Dark One did what he did best and created this entire... curse, to ensure his son was stuck in this wretched Kingdom and make his attempts to reunite simpler.

She looked at Rumplestiltskin curiously, another thought springing up to mind. "And what about Belle? Does she still remember y-"

"_You're pushing it, dearie!_" he sang shrilly, eyes gleaming at her dangerously. "Why are you here anyway? The curse on you has been broken and dear Robin Hood remembers you..." He waved a hand as if to shoo her away. "Run along now - go play house with your_ True Love_."

"In case you haven't noticed, Rumple, everyone else is still cursed," Regina pointed out, glaring at him furiously.

He raised his eyebrows in surprise. "And since when did you care about other people's well-being? Shouldn't you be celebrating these turn of events and taking it to your advantage? I heard that lovely Snow White is your maid now and the Prince is a stable boy, completely separated from their True Love. Ah, isn't this what the Evil Queen wanted?"

"_Don't call me that_," she snapped. "I never _wanted_ this life. My mother was the one who pushed me into this. I stopped following that path 29 years ago." Then she scoffed, crossing her arms as she looked out the window next to her. "As tempting as it is to laugh at those two lovesick idiots, I'm afraid my revenge for Snow has long gone. I've no reason or anger anymore to fuel my hatred since I have… Robin now."

Then she quickly whipped her head back to Rumplestiltskin, who had opened his mouth, presumably to taunt her some more. "But it still remains, Rumplestiltskin - everyone else is still cursed, which means they don't remember that I'm not the Evil Queen trying to ruin everyone's lives anymore. It doesn't help to be Queen in this curse if everyone is back to hating me again." She closed her eyes and breathed out a frustrated sigh. "They want to kill me - I can feel their plotting in the air."

"And here I thought you were being selfless and thinking of the people's well-being," Rumplestiltskin sneered. Then he paused and looked at her pensively for a moment, before reaching a decision. "I'll tell you what, dearie. You don't need to worry about breaking the curse. While True Love will break the curse, it won't be yours that will be doing that."

Regina raised an eyebrow. "Snow White and Prince Charming?"

"Close, but not quite!" Rumplestiltskin chirped. "Their _daughter."_ He let out a high-pitched giggle at the stunned expression on Regina's face. "Oh yes, dearie, they bore a child! The product of True Love; the Saviour of this Curse! You and the thief may have been qualified but seeing that you two haven't consummated yet..." He trailed off giving her a crooked grin.

"But yes," he continued, ignoring her spluttering red face. "Snow White and the Prince's child can and will break this curse. Unfortunately she escaped this Kingdom before the curse was enacted and her whereabouts are unknown, but it just so happens that Cora will be the one who will retrieve her after all." He let out another giggle and clapped his hands together gleefully.

"My mother- what the hell are you talking about?"

He shot her a distasteful look, as if disapproving of her lack of knowledge. "You see, dearie, your mother came to me a while ago searching for the Black Fairy. You know, just to make sure the curse was foolproof kind of thing. But I let her in on a secret: I told her that there's a Saviour - someone who can and will break the curse, unless Cora stops her. So she took my bait and sent off for the Bounty Hunter, who I told her can be the only one who can find the Saviour."

"And how do you know for sure that this... Bounty Hunter will find this Saviour?"

His frown deepened, as if judging her for inability to understand something that was so plainly obvious to him. "Don't you see?" he said irritably. "The Bounty Hunter _is_ the Saviour. Cora believes she's bringing in someone who's supposedly the only one who can find her, when in actuality, she's allowing the Saviour herself to waltz into the Kingdom!"

Regina narrowed her eyes at him warily for a moment, before softening her features, seemingly deciding that what he said was plausible. "All right, so the Saviour is coming. What would you have me do?"

"Do what you do best, dearie," he replied with a flourish of his hand. "Your time will come when needed. But as of now, keep your pretty little head focused on pretending like you're still cursed."

"And what will you be doing? Going on the lookout for your son? Or," she added with a wicked smirk. "Trying again with wonderful, _clever_ Bel-"

"Your tongue is as provoking as ever, Regina," he snapped irritably.

"And your skin is as dry as ever," she countered smoothly, glancing pointedly at the scaly, grayish-green tinge on his face. Then she turned around to leave, deciding there was nothing more she wanted from the Dark One.

"'Till next time, Rumple," she said, lifting her fingers to snap herself out of here.

Although he was tempted to blast the sly Evil Queen in front of him into oblivion, another thought sprung into mind. "One more thing, dearie!" he called out, causing her hand to pause mid-air. "Keep it to yourself. I'm afraid your mother isn't the only one after the Bounty Hunter."

Regina scoffed at the pointless warning. "Wouldn't dream of it."

Then with a snap and a poof, she was gone.

* * *

_'The Black Fairy.'_ The name echoed in Emma's head as she stared at Hook, who still had an amused look on his face. "A _fairy_ is going after me?" she asked in disbelief. "I thought all fairies were good."

He shrugged. "Who knows? Perhaps she's not truly a fairy. But apparently she used to be one. That's all I know of her although frankly, I don't really care much for her story."

They halted abruptly when Emma pulled out an arm to stop him from walking, her eyes trained on something in front of them. "This is it," she said, gesturing at a large tree in front of them. "We'll camp out here for the night."

Hook peered at it, unsure of what exactly was going on, and raised an eyebrow at her. "Something special about this tree, Swan?"

She took a step forward and reached out to grab one of the many vines that was twisted around the tree. _"Noxins."_ She bent down and started patting the tree, as if searching for something. "They release poisonous vapours at night, making the ground pretty much a death bed. So we're gonna climb this tree and stay in the branches for the night."

Hook didn't miss the slight wince Emma made as she stretched an arm around the circumference of the tree's trunk. "And I suppose you're going to climb with that bad arm?"

"It's _fine,"_ she snapped, her fingers closing in on the bump she was looking for. She twisted the round piece of wood, causing parts of the tree trunk to shift to the left slightly. As a result, a large dent appeared on the trunk, a size the perfect fit for a foot to settle into. Hook followed suit as Emma used the dent to begin climbing, pulled onto the vines like a ladder as she did. Together they climbed in silence, side by side as they did.

"Graham made these," Emma suddenly said quietly, breaking the silence between them. She nodded at the dents they were using to put their feet in to help them climb. "One of our first missions together. I almost suffocated from the Noxins but he managed to help me climb up here."

Although her eyes remained guarded and trained in concentration, her casual tone didn't fool him. "A huntsman fitting to his name, though too smug for my liking sometimes," he commented. Then he paused, glancing at her in afterthought. "Forgive me. He truly is an important person in your life, isn't he?"

"You make it sound like he's already dead," she scoffed as she grabbed on to another vine. Then her expression softened. "But yeah, he is," she said softly.

For some reason, the way her voice sounded when she spoke of Graham irked him. There was a hidden intimacy and nostalgia there, an emotion that the Bounty Hunter so often tried to sound indifferent to. But it seemed that whenever it came to the huntsman, her voice leaked with hidden emotion, and that was when Hook realized that Emma probably didn't have many people who cared for her and thus why she cared for little too, and so such rare moments of emotion shown by the Bounty Hunter were clearly reserved for special people like Graham... Hook shook his head, trying to will the ridiculous jealous thought out of his mind. He opened his mouth to make a cheeky remark but was cut off quickly by her voice.

"Wanna race?"

Hook looked at her in surprise, and was even more so when he didn't find any amusement on her face at the suggestion. "I don't partake in contests against invalids, love." He glanced pointedly at the arm he knew very well was still wounded.

"I told you, Hook, it's _fine,"_ she said through gritted teeth. "Well, even if it wasn't, it'll be fair. One-handed pirate against wounded bounty hunter. Unless…" She looked away from the vine she was holding and stopped climbing to give him a mischievous smirk. "Unless you can't handle it?"

He raised an eyebrow at her sudden light mood but smirked back nonetheless, deciding to enjoy this rare exchange. "Please," he said in a low voice. "Perhaps _you_ couldn't handle it."

A long pause stretched between them after as their eyes bore into each other, a challenge of who would break away first. Then, as quick as lightning, Emma tore her eyes away from his blue ones and quickly grabbed the vine.

Hook barked out a laugh as he quickly followed suit, determined not to let the blonde vixen best him. Soon they were climbing at almost equal speeds, though the pirate was a little ahead of Emma, allowing him to turn his head towards her so he may continue his taunting.

"Enjoying the view down there?" he called out to her teasingly.

Though she was short of breath, she still managed to scoff. "We're basically tied at the moment, Hook!"

_"Ooh,_ being tied up does sound like a good idea, lo-" He stopped when he caught her wince as she grabbed yet another vine, though this time it was less subtle than before. "Swan? You sure your arm is all right?"

"Yes," she replied through gritted teeth.

_Liar._ He didn't miss the next wince that came shortly after, causing him to frown deeply. The lass was so bloody stubborn - why couldn't she just admit that her injury was far worse than she thought it would be?

"Lies, Swan, your dishonesty seeps through you."

This time she didn't bother to hide her flinch as she bared her teeth, eyebrows pinched in concentration as she struggled to continue to climb. "I told you it's- ha!"

Thinking her cry was one of trouble, Hook instinctively reached out for her, but she only stopped climbing and turned to give him a triumphant smirk.

"I win." She lifted her arm to slap the base of their destination, ready to hoist herself up the branch she intended them to rest in, but then her foot bent out of place, causing her to momentarily struggle-

_"Swan!"_

She felt her other hand slip from the vine she was holding, causing her body to be dragged down against the tree. As quickly as she could, she flung out her arm to grab a vine before she completely falls from the tree to her death -

_"Fuck!"_ she swore loudly as a sharp pain cut across her wounded arm, a warm sensation slowly escaping it as she gripped the hand that had caught hers just in time.

"Is it fine _now?"_ Hook growled through gritted teeth, looking at her wounded arm where the sleeve's rip had torn apart even more than ever, exposing the gruesome bruise underneath it. However he didn't wait for her retort as he immediately placed her arm around his and began climbing, dragging her with him.

Hook managed to reach the large branch she had touched and struggled to pull her up with him. He looked around to see if there was anywhere he could let her lean against. Luckily for them, it appeared that the "branch" was reminiscent of a cave or a ditch of some sort.

"I had it under control," Emma said after he settled her against the wall of the tree.

"Sure you did," he said dryly. He quickly shrugged off his leather coat and began to pull at his sleeve. "Your pride is insufferable, Swan. If you're injured and it hurts, do us both a favour and just _admit it._"

She arched an eyebrow at his raised tone. "Cross with me now?"

"Consider it as an expression of concern from an honorable pirate." He paused, still not taking his eyes off his sleeve; an unreadable expression on his face. "We were at least 50 feet from the ground. You could have died if I didn't catch you."

The sudden soft tone of his voice really did suggest genuine concern, but Emma chose to ignore it, shifting uncomfortably as she cradled her own bleeding arm. She watched as Hook began pulling roughly at his black sleeve, causing a large rip through it; exposing a part of his forearm.

"I have some spare rags in my bag," she informed him, nodding at her small pouch on her waist. He stopped what he was doing and reached over towards her bag, untying it from her belt.

"How in the bloody hell do you keep so many things in this tiny bag?" he asked incredulously as he began pulling out a bunch of ripped cloths.

"It's enchanted," she replied with a shrug. "I can fit a whole ship in here, if I wanted."

"You know magic?" he asked in surprise, pulling her closer towards him so that he may begin wiping off the blood that had smeared all over her forearm.

"I know _people,"_ she corrected, cringing when his callused hand gently ran over her cut skin. "The orphanage I grew up in was run by three... Special women."

"_Ahh_, I see."

A long silence stretched between them as Hook began wiping off the blood from her skin, and Emma was grateful he didn't ask more about her past life in the orphanage. She watched as his eyes stayed fixed on her bloody arm. It was… strange having him so close to her like this, and even more so to see the pirate tending to her wound in such a gentle manner. She could make out the faint scent of spice and sweat emanating from him as he leaned over; an odd sensation filling her stomach as his warm fingers slightly brushed over her skin unintentionally. For a moment she found herself completely frozen, but then suddenly, the thought hit her and she realized -

She jerked back her arm instinctively. "I can do this myself," she informed him brusquely, picking up one of the cloths. What the hell was she thinking, letting him touch her like that? Even Graham wasn't allowed to mend her battle wounds.

"Don't be daft," he scoffed, pulling her arm back to his. His grip tightened when she began to yank it back, causing her to wince once again, and he lifted his eyes to glare at her. "You see? You've barely any strength left. Let _me_ do it."

Seeing that she had no choice, she surrendered her arm to his hold. "Oh, so now you're being a gentleman?"

"Like I said, love," he replied with a cheeky grin. "Always a gentleman."

She rolled her eyes when he winked at her, and then watched tentatively as he began rolling her sleeve higher to expose more of her skin. He turned around for a moment and reached for a long strip of cloth with his hook, and Emma wondered how the pirate was going to manage to bandage her wound with only one intact hand. But then she caught sight of the white knitted cloth he was now holding and upon recognizing it, she nearly toppled over to stop him from using it.

"No, not that one," she said quickly, snatching it away from him. He arched an eyebrow questioningly. "It's… not for wounds," she explained hastily. He looked at her face intently for a moment then back at the cloth she was now holding protectively but whatever question he had, he decided not to ask. Shrugging, he picked up another rag.

"I've been wondering, Swan," he began conversationally as he wrapped the fabric around her wound with one hand. "But how is it that the notorious Bounty Hunter can't swim?"

An unpleasant memory resurfaced from her mind but it was quickly erased when Hook suddenly dipped his head down towards her arm, his warm breath mingling with her skin. "I-uh, just never gotten the chance to... Learn..." she replied, suddenly realizing that she couldn't really remember anymore why was it she never learned how to swim.

And perhaps it was because Hook had his teeth on the cloth that he had wrapped her arm with, using it to effectively tie it into place, his eyes never leaving hers as his mouth fastened the rag's knot. While the intense eye contact might have seemed like he was simply listening to her speak and giving her his full attention, she knew better than that. _Damn it_ - clever one-handed bastard and his ability to seemingly make virtually any otherwise-innocent situation intimate.

As if he could sense the tension forming in her stomach, a knowing grin spread across his face. He leaned back to pause and look at her before reaching behind him to get yet another cloth. "The cut on your face is still a bloody mess," he explained when she looked at him questioningly. Before she could protest or move away however, he wet a bit of the cloth with his tongue and started dabbing it on the dry blood on her cheek.

Despite the alarm bells echoing through her head, she allowed him to continue his work anyway, watching the Captain warily as his eyes remained focus on her cheek, clearly deep in concentration. She didn't know what was going on in her mind that was making her sit still under his touch like this, but she was tired and her body ached and well, it was kind of nice to have someone _else_ take care of her for a change...

"How about you?" she suddenly asked, willing to distract herself from the heat rising up to her cheeks. "Do all pirates know how to swim?"

A flicker of surprise passed by his eyes as he drifted his gaze towards hers. It was very rare for the Swan to converse like this without any prompt, and the answer to her question was so blatantly obvious that he knew right away she was most likely talking for the sake of it. His eyes trailed over her face for a brief moment, trying to read into her sudden willingness to converse, until he decided he'll just let it go and play along.

"Aye, it's a must," he replied with a slight chuckle. "After all, we are always venturing out on the seas and God-only-knows-what dangerous waters the realms we've passed have." He watched as she shifted in her spot, a hint of embarrassment in her expression at the fact she'd ask such a ridiculous question.

"Must be nice," she muttered. "I've… never travelled on a ship before. A change of scenery would be nice."

He looked at her curiously at the hint of wistfulness in her tone. "Perhaps because you've never been granted the opportunity to, Swan," he said, looking away from her. "The waters contain a vast universe in and of itself. It's as beautiful as it is dangerous. I love it."

He felt Emma watching him curiously as he spoke and he realized that he was looking out in the distance with a faraway look on his face. Snapping out of his reverie, he dropped his arm from her face and grinned at her. "All finished, Swan. You know, you'd make an excellent pirate. Perhaps even a more adept swimmer, too."

She gave him an unimpressed look as if to say _'Really? A pirate?',_ causing him to raise his arms defensively. "Just saying, love. You've got the skill and not to mention the foul language-"

"Who's _Milah?"_

He paused at the name, the grin disappearing from his face completely. Emma was now looking curiously at the heart-shaped tattoo on his forearm that was now exposed due to the rip he'd made earlier. "Someone from a long time ago," he replied in a voice too cold for his liking.

Emma looked at him at the sound of his tone, watching him carefully. "She was more than just 'someone', wasn't she." He averted his eyes, expression as stony and guarded as ever, but remained silent at her blunt observation.

"You were in love with her and she left you."

At this, he snapped his eyes towards her own, almost glaring at her for being so accurate. "That's a rather bold statement for a bounty hunter who has never been in love."

Something flickered past Emma's eyes, so quick and so subtle that he'd almost miss it, and for a moment his unexplained anger subsided and he wished he'd caught what the emotion in her expression meant. But instead of agreeing with him or evading the subject entirely, she looked right back at him.

"Well maybe I have been in love… Once."

* * *

**A/N:** Wooooo almost 5,000 words LOL. My muse was generous to me for this one. Sorry about the lengthy chapter! I hope you still enjoyed it.

But yeah, some interesting development going on with these two stubborn hooligans plus some _interesting_ things happening back at the White Kingdom. I absolutely love ReginaxRumple interactions (their endless sassiness, ya feel me?). I hope I did those two characters justice.

Next chapter: We learn something interesting & dark from Emma's past, while in the present, Emma starts feeling…& _seeing_ something differently when she looks at Hook.

Again, thank you thank you thank youuu for the reviews. Keep it up and don't be shy with some constructive criticism please :)


	12. Chapter 12

_**The Enchanted Forest: 16 years ago**_

Even back then she was lost - at least, that was what she told herself every day. Not abandoned, not forgotten, not deserted. Not even a true orphan. Just… _lost._

Every time this particular day passed, she would look to the door anxiously with the tiniest bit of hope that when it knocks, the people she'd open the door to would be just the very ones she was lost to. Since she was lost on this day, perhaps she would be found on this day as well.

"Emma?" a voice called out to her. "Emma! Look at me when I'm speaking to you!"

Snapping out of her reverie, she turned away from the door and towards the stern-looking woman clad entirely in navy, who was now looking at her disapprovingly with crossed arms. "Now what was I saying?" the woman said with a frown. "Ah, yes. You must stop wandering so far off in the woods, Emma. It's dangerous out there and we can't afford you or the others getting hurt. _Never_ do that again, do you understand?"

"Yes, Blue," she muttered, looking down shamefully. _"Miss_ Blue," she hastily added when the woman gave her a pointed look.

Blue smiled in satisfaction. "Good." Then she held out a hand to Emma. "Now hand me what you were fooling around with earlier."

Emma blinked at her, momentarily shocked and bewildered at how Blue knew exactly what Emma snuck off to do. "Come on now," Blue said, this time less patiently. "I haven't got all the time in the world."

Hesitantly, Emma pulled out the small wooden sword from her pocket and slowly handed it to her. "Thank you," Blue said. "You know, Emma, it is getting ridiculous how you're always wandering off alone, playing with this thing. I don't understand why you don't just spend time with the other children-"

"What's wrong with a little swordplay, Reul?"

Blue and Emma looked to the doorway, where two women were now standing. The one who had spoken was sporting a dark green cloak and was looking at Blue challengingly, though when she glanced at Emma, only amusement was seen in her eyes. Behind her was a woman who was dressed in a brighter manner, and her demeanour proved to be just as eccentric as the bright pink cloak she was wearing as she was now giggling silently at the frown on Blue's face. When Emma caught her eye, the pink woman grinned and waved enthusiastically at her, a greeting to which Emma returned. She was grateful that they interrupted Blue's lecture - she really didn't want to have to relive being told to '_just play with the other kids_' when in actuality, she couldn't if she even tried. It seemed no one cared enough to be friends with her, anyway.

"What did I say about calling me that, Green," Blue muttered, sending an icy glare towards their way.

"Well if you start calling me _Tinkerbell_ and not Green, then maybe I'll start calling you by the name _you_ want to be called," Green replied coolly, crossing her arms. Behind her the enthusiastic pink woman nodded her head vigorously in agreement.

Blue mumbled something along the lines of '_always disobeying_' and '_even after all this time_' before glaring back at Green and the pink woman. "Very well. I shall leave you with Miss Swan here," she sniffed. Emma smiled brightly at the two woman, who beamed back at her, though this earned a stern look from Blue. "Remember what I said, Emma. Next time I won't be so lenial." With one last disapproving look at the other women, she turned around to leave the room. But to their surprise, she paused at the doorway, turning her head slightly towards Emma. She swore she saw a ghost of a smile pass by Blue's lips as she spoke.

"Oh, and a happy birthday, Miss Swan."

With that, Blue left with a swoosh of her long navy dress, leaving Emma alone with Green and the pink woman. She didn't hesitate to run towards them when the pink cloaked woman opened her arms for an embrace. "Happy birthday, little duckling!" she squealed as she hugged Emma tightly.

"Thanks, Pinky," Emma breathed. She turned to Green after the pink woman released her.

"Twelve years old - you're practically a grown lady now," Green breathed as she squeezed Emma with a hug.

Emma grimaced. "Yeah well, Miss Blue doesn't seem to think that. She still treats me like I'm six."

"Oh don't worry about our Grouchy Pouchy sister! She may be strict but deep inside she's as soft as clouds!" Pinky said with a giggle, waving the comment away.

"Yeah, a cloud with a stick up her ass," Green muttered with a soft smirk on her face. Emma bit back a lip from laughter.

"Tink! _Language!_ Emma's here!" Pinky scolded, though she was laughing as well. "But you're right. I still don't know why she insists on calling us with those...colours! We're her _sisters,_ after all - don't you think she should refer to us by our real names? I mean, Tinkerbell and Nova aren't so difficult to pronounce!"

"Probably because her real name is Reul Ghorm," Green snorted, causing Pinky to hold a pink glove to her mouth to prevent herself from sniggering.

"I don't know… I think Pinky and Tinky are better names, don't you think?" Emma suggested with a smirk. Green wriggled her nose at the name but Pinky simply beamed at Emma, a fond look on her face.

"Oh!" Pinky exclaimed with a jump, clapping her hands together. "We have a gift for you!"

Green nodded and helped Pinky fumble around her bag while Emma watched, her face heating up from embarrassment. "Oh, you d-didn't have to-" she stammered, slightly flustered. She wasn't very used to being given gifts.

However the two colorful women in front of her wouldn't hear any of it. "Oh pish posh Macintosh!" Pinky dismissed Emma's protests with a wave and pulled out what looked like a small, dark brown sac. "A princess always deserves a little gift on her birthday," she said with a jovial smile.

Green flashed Pinky a warning look and nudged her, however Emma didn't notice nor did she seem to make any meaning behind Pinky's words as she was busy staring at the small brown bag that they had given her.

"Blue found it in the storage room. It's enchanted," Green explained with soft smile. "You can fill it with as many items as you want and they can be as large as you want it to be. Unlimited size. Quite practical for when you sneak off in the middle of the night to steal extra bread."

Emma blushed at the knowing look on Green face, though it was quickly replaced by curiosity. "Enchanted?" she asked, eyes widening. "You mean it's magical? How did you get something like this?"

For some reason, this made Green fluster. She opened her mouth then closed it, hesitating to reply. But Pinky chirped up instead, putting an arm around Emma's shoulder and grinning at her. "Can you keep a secret, Emma?" she whispered. Emma nodded. "You see, Blue, Tink, and I weren't always keepers of this orphanage. We weren't always just three plain ol' women! You see, little duckling, all three of us used to be very, very magical." She drew in a sharp breath before exclaiming, "We used to be _fairies!"_

Emma mouth gaped open at the same time Green let out a gasp. "Nova! How could you!"

"But she's twelve now,Tink! And it's Emma - it doesn't hurt if she knows!"

"I know but you shouldn't be so reckless and just go blabbing it around like that! What if someone heard you?! What if Blue-"

"Reckless?!" Pinky scoffed. "That's _rich_ for someone who almost lost her wings trying to help that _Regina_ woman-"

"That was 18 years ago, Pink, and I shouldn't be talking Miss_ Lets-Run-Off-With-A-Dwarf_-"

"Stop!" Emma jumped in between the two supposedly ex-fairies, whose angry faces were now inches away from each other. "I promise I won't tell anyone, okay? Our little secret." They looked down at her in surprise then backed away. Green's expression softened at Emma's words. "And you won't tell Blue what Pinky told me, will you?" Emma asked Green timidly. Pinky shot Green a pointed glare, awaiting her response.

"No, of course not, Emma," Green said with a soft smile, shaking her head. Then she gestured towards the bag. "But hey. We still have something else in the bag for you."

Surprised, Emma reached inside and was even more surprised to find that she could actually fit her entire arm in the bag, despite its miniscule size. Her fingers closed over some sort of fabric and she pulled it up.

She looked at the woolen, knitted fabric curiously. _"Erm…_ Thank you… for the blanket?" she said, unsure if that was what the cloth was.

When she looked back up at them, she was surprised to see a strange, almost pitying look on their faces. "Blue and I found it, little duckling," Pinky said with a sad smile. "It's rightfully yours."

Emma stared at the blanket in her hands, caressing it absentmindedly, its softness a strange, yet eerily familiar feeling against her skin. An odd warmth filled her chest as she traced over the knitted patterns, until it reached one particular shape: a letter, stitched perfectly in the blanket, a beautiful, green cursive '_E'_-

"It's your baby blanket, Emma," Green whispered. "The one we found you in."

She didn't speak. She didn't reply. She simply stood there, staring blankly at the small blanket in her hands, the words swimming through her head.

The one they found her in. On the day she became an orphan.

_Lost._

* * *

A few hours later, Emma ran back to the orphanage, breathing heavily as she closed the door behind her. The weather was getting eerily colder, which shouldn't have been that strange as it was late October, but for some reason this type of coldness was… different. Strange. Uncomfortable, almost, but Emma decided to forget about that and relish in the warmth of the cabin.

She ignored the eye rolling of the two girls who were huddled at the corner, most likely gossiping about how horrid her blonde hair looked right now. However she couldn't help but notice how strangely the older boy at the corner was staring at her. How old was he, again? Fourteen? Fifteen? And wasn't his name some sort of unconventional thing, like Pinny or Pinenut or something? Whatever. All her life living in the orphanage, she never really got to talk to that weird older boy or really see him around often much, and maybe she was just being paranoid, but that boy had a strange look in his eyes whenever he looked at her. It was like he was watching her every movement carefully...

Cutting across the room quickly, she walked down the hall to go to the room she shared with the others girls, until she heard a bang and a loud, angry voice.

'-We have to tell her, Blue, she's getting older and her 28th birthday is a long time from now-"

"Absolutely not, Green! Emma is far too young; we can tell her when she's 16, at the most-"

She stopped walking abruptly at the sound of her name. Although she wasn't one to eavesdrop, apparently this conversation was pertaining to her so this was an exception. She leaned towards the door of the room the Blue and Green were arguing in and strained her ears to listen.

"I think she's right, Tink," Pinky offered in her timid, high-pitched voice. "Don't you think it'll be too much of a burden for her if she knew?"

"Says the fairy who blabbed what she did today!" Green snapped.

"You did _what-"_

"Doesn't matter, Blue," Green interrupted. "The point is, Emma should know about her parents right now - I've been doing some detective work, Blue, and you won't like the rumours I've been hearing."

There was a silence and Emma pressed her ears hard against the wooden wall, trying to listen.

"No!" Pinky gasped. "Not _her."_

"It's-it has been so many years- how could- b-but-" Blue trailed off in a stammer, unable to speak. This came to a surprise to Emma as the usually cool and composed woman seemed to always have something to say.

"Exactly," Green said grimly. "She could be here at any given moment. Now we should-"

Her voice was cut off by a sudden thud. Trembling, Emma quickly ran from the door and into the girls' room, where she jumped into her bed, breathing heavily. 'Emma should know about her parents'. Her parents. Her parents. _Her parents_. Her body shook from the sudden revelation - it shouldn't have come as a surprise; she knew that they should be alive. After all, Blue told her that she was found on the forest floor not too far from here, with a note… But while it seemed like that was all they knew about her parents, apparently they knew much, much more. Were they pretending all this time then? _No, no, no_. Tinkerbell… Pinky… They were just lying and hiding from her all this time…

Another thud disrupted her thoughts, this time followed by a violent shake of the ground. Emma jerked out of the bed and looked around in panic, and at that moment, Blue, Green, and Pinky barged into the girls' room.

"We-we have to get out-" Blue said, breathing heavily, the usually strict and stern woman looking the most disheveled and frantic Emma has ever seen her.

She didn't need telling twice. Emma jumped out of bed and ran towards the three women. She grabbed hold of Green and Pinky's hands and followed them out of the room and towards the main living room of the orphanage-

_Bang!_ Suddenly, a large column of wood fell from the ceiling, nearly missing Pinky's fuchsia dress. "Tink! Blue! Get the other children!" Pinky shouted. Tink nodded and let Emma's hand go and sprinted forwards, Blue following not too far from her.

Pinky looked down at Emma, her face pale with fear. "Little duckling, listen to me, okay? We're going to-" She was cut off by yet another wood falling from the ceiling, this time catching Pinky's dress and pinning it to the ground.

"Pinky!" Emma yelled when the woman tripped and fell on the ground, unable to move due to the fallen wood. Emma bent down and tried push the wooden column off of her, but it was too heavy. Desperate, she looked around for something - anything - that can help her… She froze when her eyes caught something not too far in the distance. No, no, no, no… Fire. Blazing, fiery fire was quickly travelling towards where her and Pinky were. Emma wanted to scream but she couldn't. She found herself completely paralyzed with fear, that is, until she felt someone shove her out of the way.

She looked beside her to see the older boy who was watching her earlier bending over Pinky, grunting loudly as he tried to lift the wood off of her. Snapping back into life, Emma quickly rushed over to help him.

"We haven't... Got… Much… Time… Left…" Pinky whispered through ragged breaths, looking paler than she was before. "Just… leave… me… here…"

"Who's doing this, Pinky, why is this happening-" Emma cried out helplessly.

"Li… Lil_… Lil_..." But Emma could barely hear Pinky's answer when another piece of wood came crashing down near them, causing both her and the older boy to look up and see the fire approaching even closer.

"This is hopeless!" the older boy grunted, trying to lift the wood again. "Emma, we got to get out of here!"

She shook her head furiously. "N-n-never! I'm not leaving Pinky here to die-"

Another thud came and this time the older boy pushed Emma out of the way from the wood that came tumbling down towards them. "We're going to be burned alive, Emma! We have to leave!"

Emma stared at Pinky, whose face she could still see despite the cloudy smoke now surrounding them. _No,_ she couldn't just leave her… Pinky was her _friend_ - one of the only ones in this wretched world who truly cared -

Another crash, and Emma rushed over Pinky, determined not to let the fairy die. _Oh please, please, please let her live_… "Pinky? I'm getting you out of here," Emma tried in a determined voice, though the crack in it betrayed her fear. Pinky gave her a weak smile, the kind that she usually gave Emma when she was pretending to agree with something the younger child was trying to convince her of.

Who was she kidding? Deep inside, Emma knew she couldn't. The wood was too heavy; the fire was too close. She could hear the older boy kneeling beside her, coaxing her to leave, but she remained frozen in her spot, staring helplessly at Pinky, whose usual glowing, happy face was now unrecognizable underneath the dirt and paleness it was covered in. But suddenly, to her surprise, Pinky turned to the older boy beside her and spoke to him.

"You know… what you have… to do…" Pinky instructed through ragged breaths. "Your father… Blue… Promise…" The boy nodded in understanding, a sad smile on his face as he put his arm around Emma, pulling her with him.

"_Little… duckling_…" Pinky whispered, smiling weakly. Emma roughly pulled away from the older boy and leaned towards Pinky, holding her hand as her eyes brimmed with the tears she refused to let fall down. Because if she cried, it would mean that this was goodbye…

"_I… love… you_…"

An unrecognizable scream erupted from Emma's throat when the older boy picked her up and pulled her away with him, dodging the next block of wood that fell near them. She watched as Pinky's outstretched hand dropped to the ground, her bright pink dress gradually turning into a dead, coal black; the fire behind her swallowing the Pink Fairy whole at last.

When they finally jumped outside, the scream still wouldn't stop leaving Emma's throat as she wailed and sobbed, calling out for Pinky, calling out for Green, for Blue, for her parents - for anyone, everyone that had left her. The sound of her pain echoed through the forest and rose into the air along with the smoke that completely devoured the orphanage, and it continued to echo even as she yanked the older boy's grip from her, suddenly disgusted and revolted by the boy who forced her out of there and let Pinky die.

Then she ran. She ran and ran and ran and ran, to anywhere, to everywhere, to nowhere, until she finally stopped in the middle of a clearing, gasping for air, sobbing with grief, sobbing without restraint. She was alone. Completely alone. So alone.

And so painfully _lost._

* * *

Five years have passed since the ruin of the Pixie Orphanage, and Emma had long since given up on trying to find Blue and Green, who had disappeared completely. Due to this, Emma was forced to swallow the looming possibility that they never made it out of the orphanage with the rest of the children and were burned along with the others, along with Pinky…

_Stop thinking about that_. She continued walking along the pier slowly, eyeing the people around her warily. There was also that older boy who had saved her from the burning orphanage, but it seemed she was effective in running away from him. She never saw him again since then. And as far as she knew, even if she did see him today, she didn't want to go anywhere near the guy ever again, considering he was the one who forced her to leave as she watched Pinky to burn into mere black and red ashes…

_I said stop thinking, Emma_. Her eyes stopped at a gleam of metal at the corner of one of the harbor's outdoor markets. And after a careful glance around her surroundings, she strode towards it.

A twirl with her hair and a sweet, angelic smile later, she managed to pocket the silver candlestick without notice, and she walked away triumphantly. Perfect. Selling this would feed her for days - no, _weeks_ if she managed to persuade that idiotic shop owner -

"Impressive. But you know, if you wanted steal the other one too, you could've just asked."

At the sound of the man's voice, Emma instinctively took off in a run, not bothering to turn around to see who had spoken to her.

"Hey! Hey, wait!"

She could hear him running after her but that didn't stop her - she continued sprinting through the harbor, accidentally pushing a few people strolling about here and there, until she came to a complete halt. Looking around her, she saw that she didn't have any great choices: there wasn't any boat she could jump into and escape with, and there was a house blocking her to her left. The only other option was to jump into the water and that wasn't looking very pretty. She looked up and saw the man who was running after her slow down just a few metres in front of her. He held up his arms in defense.

"Hey, hey, I didn't mean to scare you," he said, walking towards her slowly. Emma took a step back at his movements, glancing quickly at his dark brown fur-hooded cloak- he looked like he could be around her age.

She stopped and lifted her chin defiantly. "I just stole your silver. How do you know I'm not some dangerous felon?"

He laughed. The stupid guy was laughing at her. "Yeah, _sooo_ dangerous. You keep telling yourself that." He gave her a boyish grin. "And that's not my silver."

"Yeah?" For some reason Emma could tell he wasn't lying, but she wasn't going to surrender to him just yet. "And how do I know you're not just some undercover Guard trying to bust me?"

He genuinely looked surprised at her accusation. "I'm not. Actually, I stole that first and left it there so I could tie my boots, but you beat me to the punch before I could get it back."

_"Liar,"_ she accused, taking another step back. She wobbled over and almost fell into the water, but managed to balance herself back on her feet.

"Whoa, steady there, ballerina," the man laughed. She raised an eyebrow and the strange name but continued narrowing her eyes nonetheless. "Hey, why don't I forget the fact you stole the silver I wanted and we can get acquainted over some drinks. Yeah?"

She scoffed. "In your dreams, pal. I'm not drinking with you. How do I know you're not just some pervert?"

"I'm not. So we heading to the pub or are you going for a swim?"

Hesitantly, Emma glanced at the water below her and back at the strange man, then took a deep breath. Swim it is. With one more glance at the man, she jumped into the water.

"Are you serious-!" The sound of his cursing was muffled by the water in her ears as she flapped around aimlessly. _Dammit,_ why didn't she swim with the other kids in the orphanage when she was younger? Maybe this stupid escaping-by-swimming thing would've been easier if she took the time to learn how to do the damn thing before actually doing it. The on-the-run thief life has made a hole in her intelligence after all...

An arm laced around her waist and she felt herself being pulled towards the docks. Sensing that it was most likely the man earlier, she started kicking around her, but found that was nearly impossible as he basically pinned her arms to her sides. Somehow, the man managed to pull her out of the water and back onto the docks, watching her in amusement as she spluttered out water.

"You're a crazy girl. Diving in when you can't even swim?" he said with a hint of a mocking laugh.

"First time for everything," she muttered. Then she glared at him. "What do you want from me?"

The boyish grin was back on his face. "A drink," he said simply. He stretched out a hand for her. "Neal Cassidy."

"Unknown shadow," she replied dryly, eyeing his hand suspiciously. "And _Neal?_ That doesn't sound like a name from the Enchanted Forest."

Something strange flickered in his eyes but he covered it with a thin smile. "I've been here and there, and somehow, back here..." Then he raised his eyebrows. "After I saved your life, you won't even give a name? Isn't that how it goes - damsel in distress, she gives her napkin sort of thing?"

Yet another man with that argument, she thought with a frown. "I don't owe you anything."

"You were _drowning."_

She considered this for a moment, and opened her mouth to give a witty retort, but found that she couldn't really say anything to that. She hated to admit it but he did save her life, stranger and pervert and all. And while it was true - she really didn't owe him anything - she couldn't help but to feel tempted with the thought of going out for a free drink, especially after such a long, tiring week... "Neal" seemed to sense this as his smirk grew wider.

"Now how about that drink?"

* * *

She went. _Dammit,_ she went. She went to Milner's Tavern with him that night and the night after that and the night after that. She saw him every day and never stopped, not even after he kissed her for the first time; not even after she woke up in his bed without so much an ounce of clothing. Soon they became lovesick nomads together, jumping from inn to inn, even camping out sometimes when they couldn't find a place to stay. Neal was hers as she was is, and now she was lying down comfortably in his warm, broad arms, smiling sleepily, wondering how the hell two lost children could find love in each other in this godforsaken land.

"Hey, I've been thinking," Emma said, wriggling her body so she could face him. "Our parents. I know mine are alive and you said your father is too… We could find them. I know we can; we can just-"

Neal sighed. "Emma, drop it. I'm not gonna look for my dad. And how do you know for sure your parents are still alive? And even if they are, do you still want to see them after they abandoned you like that?"

She cringed at his words, but she covered it with a small smile. "Maybe they left me for a reason."

The pitying smile on Neal's face made the ache in Emma's chest stronger, but it was quickly erased when he dropped his head to give her a kiss. "Don't hold on to false hope, Ems. It's not good for you." He gave her a warm smile to which she returned, and then stooped down for another, more charged kiss.

"You know what?" Neal said when he pulled away from her. "Let's get out of here. Find a place. Finally settle down."

She blinked at him, surprised for a moment. "Are you saying…"

"Yeah." He gave her his trademark boyish grin. "I think it's time to stop running, don't you think? The thief act can't last for long… Plus I know a place - a land far away from here. I can get us a bean; find a house by a lake like you've always wanted. I could even teach you how to swim…" He gave her a mischievous smirk, causing her to playfully punch his bare shoulder.

"You serious about this?" she asked, searching his brown eyes. A warmth in her chest suddenly sprang into life, like a new hope growing inside of her. "You really want this?"

"Yeah, Ems. I do." He leaned in close to her face, his nose brushing against hers. She could feel the warmth in her chest trembling, anticipating his every word. "I really do."

"I love you," she blurted out. He pulled back and looked at her surprise, and she realized that maybe this was a mistake - it was too quick; she was being stupid; she shouldn't have assumed-

"I love you too."

The warmth in her chest spewed fireworks.

* * *

6 o'clock came. And soon so did seven. _Where the hell was he?_ She paced around the docks, briefly pausing when she realized - huh, this is where we first met - and then back to pacing again. She looked inside the small bag she was carrying, peering at the golden trinkets she had stolen for Neal.

_'You really think you can do this, Ems? You'll be safe, won't you?'_ She snorted at his momentary doubt on her abilities - seriously, he should know by now just how skilled she was. But yes, indeed she was skilled as she managed to steal the damn jewels from those noblemen, and now she was at the docks where Neal had told her to wait for him.

And here she was, waiting. Half past seven - seriously, where the hell was he? It has been over an hour and a half now and she was getting extremely impatient. But just as the thought of him passed, another, much happier one did as well, and soon she found herself absentmindedly smiling. Today was the day they were finally leaving this hellhole and into a whole new, entirely different land. Neal was going to meet her here with the magic bean he'd stolen from the Black Market and they were going to drop themselves a portal out of here… She sighed happily. What was even better was that it was her 18th birthday today. She could finally start a whole new life. A new life in… What was the name of the land they were going again? Some place without magic, but who the hell needs that shit anyway…

8 o'clock. Half past eight. _Nine…Three_ hours later, Emma sat on the edge of the docks, staring blankly at the ocean that lay before her. So calm, so peaceful, so free… But while the soothing sound of water usually comforted her, it didn't do anything to her at this moment. And so she got up and walked away from the docks, deciding that maybe Neal got held up; maybe he was in a bad situation where he couldn't send a homing pigeon to tell her where he'd been...

She went to Milner's Tavern and ordered a drink, then called the barmaid over. "Hey, Rosemary, you see Neal around?" she asked the brunette. She should know where Neal is - they came here often and pretty much knew the owners of this place.

But instead of answering, a loud bang was heard and Emma whipped her head around to see three Guards walk into the cabin. They were holding a piece of parchment and were searching around the pub, as if looking for someone, until one of them had his eyes landed on hers.

"Emma Swan?" She nodded at the Guard's question slowly, confused as to what was going on. "Under the law, you are charged with theft against the great Noble Artherio…"

She couldn't hear what he said next because all of a sudden, it felt like the waning hope in her chest finally crashed and disintegrated, its pieces dropping to the pit of her stomach as the realization dawned on her. No one knew she had stolen those trinkets; no one had seen her steal them. She had been so, so stealthy… It had to be him. It had to be Neal who told the Guards that it was her who stole them.

"You should pick better suitors, milady," the Guard muttered as he tied her wrists, confirming her thoughts. She'll deal with the Guards later - right now, she was frozen with the sunken knowledge that Neal - the guy who she had been with for so long; the guy who she loved; the guy that said he loved her - ruined her like this.

Why? _Why, why, why?_ He left her. He dropped her like she was nothing to him and abandoned her, leaving her all alone. Completely alone.

And _lost._ Yet again.

* * *

**_The Dark Forest: Present time_**

As much as she tried, her mask of indifference wavered this time. She couldn't even curse at the painstakingly truthful fact that Hook had that effect on her, making her guardedness falter when she'd least expect it. _'Maybe I have been in love once'_ - her own words echoed through her head as the painful memories of her youth resurfaced, gnawing at her as she tried to fend them away. _God,_ what a stupid fool she was, thinking that maybe she could find Neal after she'd escape from the Guards. Make amends; forgive him. _Try again_… But it seemed that he used the magic bean after all as he clearly disappeared off the face of the Enchanted Forest.

For once, she was glad that the pirate watching her intently could read her, because he didn't ask her more on the subject. He continued watching her though, occasionally drifting his eyes to the baby blanket she had snatched from him earlier, before finally breaking the silence.

"I think it's time we sleep, Swan," he said quietly, stuffing the extra rags back into her bag. She nodded stiffly and leaned back against the wooden wall behind her, allowing her eyes to slowly close...

"Don't think I'm taking my eyes off you for one second, Jones," she mumbled sleepily, a lame attempt to erase whatever strange atmosphere was created between them.

He chuckled. "I'd _despair_ if you did, love."

A faint smile passed by Emma's lips at the sound of his chuckle. It was strange, because even though all those memories resurfaced when she'd reveal that vulnerable part of herself to Hook, she didn't feel nearly as bad as she should've. Maybe it was the pain in her arm, or maybe it was her exhaustion, or maybe it was the charming pirate, _dammit._ But for once, thinking of her parents and Pinky and Neal didn't make her feel as lonely as she should've. In fact, for once she felt a little lightness in her chest as opposed to the heaviness she usually felt.

It was like a huge burden was lifted.

She opened one eye slightly to peek at Hook, the excruciatingly obnoxious pirate who, for some reason, had taken care of her and tried to save Graham, Edon, and Ruby, even when he didn't have to. Maybe it was all for his revenge, or maybe he did actually have some heart left in him, but the kind gestures and occasional intense gazes were enough to leave a confusing mark in her chest that she decided she would solve later. Much, much later.

Tonight, Emma will sleep easily and peacefully, because for once in her entire 28 years of living, she didn't feel so _lost._

* * *

**A/N:** Well now we know where Emma caught a bit of her snarky, sassy attitude from, haha (ahem, Tink), & why she doesn't know how to swim (all those broken promises, our poor baby Emma). But yeah, it pained me A LOT to write this chapter. Emma is such an important, dear character to me & I'm sure to most of you - I hope my take on her story in this AU did her character justice.

Also, I see some CS development going on here! But while I really loved writing Emma's backstory, I think it's time we continue with the present. I'm sure everyone misses reading **Killian's POV** so let's do just that ;) Oh yes, I said Killian - not Hook. Haha, next chapter Hook finds Emma in a _compromising_ position, much to her utmost horror.

1/3 sunsets have passed!


	13. Chapter 13

He had to get out of here.

Out of here and away from her. But not forever - no, he still needed the Swan - but for long enough so he can clear his head and pull himself back together.

An unsettling guilt churned his insides as he looked at her sleeping form, and he cursed himself at feeling such an irrational emotion. He shouldn't be feeling this way - it wasn't his fault he and Emma seemed to share this undeniable broken experience. It wasn't his fault they understood each other. But the fact remains: _they do._ They understood each other so bloody damn well, it sickened him. No one understands Captain Hook. How dare she be the exception?

_Gods,_ what a twist to this plot of his - he never expected for any of this to happen. This… bonding. This bloody connection. Her, the stubborn enigma. It was ruining everything he lived for and it made everything he felt all the more confusing. And the worse part was: it appeared that he couldn't make up his mind. One moment he was relishing in the thoughts of finally fulfilling his revenge; drowning himself in his sorrows and hatred, loathing all that pulled him away from doing otherwise. Then before he could even think twice, he was suddenly giving Emma his jacket, yelling for her as if it was his own life at stake (later, he would try to convince himself that perhaps it was, since he technically did _need_ the Bounty Hunter, and would deny any hidden feelings of concern or genuine fear he felt at that moment), and before he could even stop himself, he was _tending_ to the bloody woman's wounds. Even though he was completely aware that Swan was perfectly capable of such things.

Yet she allowed him. Shockingly, she allowed him to touch her and help her, and the first civil conversation they finally have, it ended up with them showing a vulnerable side of their selves that strengthened the stupid "connection" they had.

He should relish in that. Celebrate. He was finally getting to her, wasn't he? This was the plan.

But no, instead Hook was sitting there watching her, with barely an ounce of sleep in his body, feeling unnaturally, uncharacteristically guilty.

_Bad form, Killian. Keep your mind on the goal._

"Couldn't sleep?"

Startled, he snapped his eyes to Emma, who was now looking at him with one eye open, sleepiness still evident in her voice. He gave a slight nod. "Aye."

She watched him for a moment as if considering his reply, an unreadable yet somehow knowing expression in her eyes that made Hook feel eerily uncomfortable. _Oh, how the tables have turned._ Instead of looking away, however, he decided to take up this challenge and stare back at her, arching an eyebrow questioningly as he did.

He almost let out a breath of relief when she spoke again, evidently deciding not to ask. "Noxins still there?" she asked, nodding below them.

Hook peered down - the purple smoke that had covered the forest floor earlier had now disappeared, leaving it as normal and empty as it had been when they climbed the tree. He shook his head.

"Good," she said, sitting up straighter. She began to rummage through her small bag, then cursed. _"Dammit."_

He raised an eyebrow. "What is it, Swan?"

"No water." Emma frowned deeply then began to move towards the edge of the branch, grimacing as she did.

"_Ah, ah_, I don't think so, love. Your arm, remember?" he reminded her, blocking her with his hook.

She glowered at him. "You expect me to moan and groan about it all day? In case you forgot, my _friends_ are being held hostage by the Black Fairy's men. I can handle it."

"No I have not forgotten, but truly, Swan, you should know better than to mention the word 'moan' in front of me," he replied with a mischievous grin. At this, she rubbed her temples irritatingly.

"Two hours the _most_, lass. We can't make it through this forest alive without you being in the best condition. I'll find water for you. Savvy?"

Reluctantly, she began to move back, deciding that perhaps he was right. It was her sword arm that was injured, so he had a point. However her glower remained on her face as Hook began to lower himself down on the tree.

"There's a freshwater pool eastward of here. Not too far, so I want you back here in an hour, max," she told him.

"Darling, a gentleman never keeps a woman waiting," he said with a wink, putting one foot lower as he began to climb down.

"And don't think of any funny ideas, Hook. Remember your ship's also at stake."

"Aye, Swan, I'm very aware. I assure you that I won't run off."

"And don't-"

He stopped and let out an exasperated breath. "Gods, Swan, I'm not going to _abandon_ you, if that's what you're wary about."

As soon as the words left his mouth, he regretted them and swore under his breath_. Poor, poor form, Killian_ - he really should know better than to say such careless things, especially after seeing her expression when she mentioned about being in love once. However Emma didn't make any comment on it and remained silent as he continued to climb down, and Hook wondered the whole time what the bounty hunter was thinking.

The familiar guilt settled in his stomach once again as he jumped from the tree and began walking. How was it that during the three centuries he has been living alone, thriving on stolen riches and taking any measures just so he could get his selfish way, that of all people, _Emma_ would be the one to make Captain Hook feel guilty? And after only a couple of days, too. How many people has he double-crossed and ridiculed in his life, without so much as a second thought? Well, the past, youthful Killian Jones buried inside of him sometimes made its rare appearance and haunted him with reminders of his unforgivable deeds. He was not a good person, he will admit, who deserved nothing but self-loathing and a bottomless void for his past sins. But not once during those long centuries did anyone perplex him in such a way Swan did, and he wished nothing more than to get rid of such a feeling.

After a long walk, he finally came to a halt at the sight of a crowd of Weeping Willow trees. He could make out a body of water from between the spaces of the long vines that dangled from the trees, and so he pushed through the leaves, revealing the massive freshwater pool Emma had informed him about. It was much larger than what he expected and had an array of Weeping Willows surrounding its perimeter that concealed it from the outsider's view. He glanced to his right, where a wall of tall bushes greeted him, before taking out a container and bending down towards the water.

As he sealed it shut and placed it back into his satchel, his finger brushed against a rounded object. He'd almost forgotten about this thing, and it was probably a bad thing that he did. Very, _very_ bad, actually._ Perhaps I could do it now, since Swan isn't here_… Hook glanced around quickly, making sure he was completely alone before taking out the small vial cautiously and emptying its contents into the water in front of him.

He watched as the dark liquid swirled in the water, gradually spinning and spinning until it turned into a mirror-like substance. It looked almost like a window of some sorts, yet he could see nothing but his own reflection staring back at him. Subconsciously, he clenched his fist and jaw as a figure began to appear in the mirror, silently praying that their wrath will not be bestowed upon him for his delay.

"Hook. How lovely it is to see your face again after all this time."

He gritted his teeth at the sound of her sickeningly faux-sweet voice. "Cora," he acknowledged with a stiff nod.

She gave him a smile at the sound of his voice, one that would seem genuine at first glance, though was betrayed by the gleam in her eyes. "After keeping me waiting, that is all you can say? My name, without so much of a warm smile or an explanation for your prolonged absence." She let out a high laugh. "Lucky for you, Captain Hook, I am patient today. Have you done what I asked you to do?"

Hook touched the satchel by his waist and looked at it, his body tense by her calculating gaze. "Aye."

Cora looked delighted by his answer as her smile grew wider. "Oh, so you found it after all! I must say, I'm very impressed. Your services will not go unrewarded. Now, when will you bring this delightful package here?"

"I'm afraid I will be delayed once again," Hook said grimly. "Unforseen circumstances has thwarted us from furthering our journey peacefully."

She looked surprised by his reply. "Us?"

"The Bounty Hunter," he clarified. "Three men are seeking the Bounty Hunter and I. Take a wild guess who they work for - I'm sure you'd love to hear her name."

Cora's eyes lit with an unnatural gleam at his words. "The Bounty Hunter," she repeated with a smile that looked frightening with the manic glee that was behind it. "You found the _Bounty Hunter_. Hook, how you've surpassed my expectations. To be blunt, I would have never expected a _pirate_ to be able to accomplish such a task I sent him out to do - let alone find the ever-mysterious Bounty Hunter! I'm very, very impressed. Now, you say three men are after you and your companion? I've no time for guessing games, Hook. Who are they?"

An uncomfortable shiver ran through his spine at her sudden gleeful nature, but he decided to ignore it and focus. "Aye, they are after the Bounty Hunter but I believe they seek me as well, as one of them recognized me. They are… working for the Black Fairy."

He watched as her smile slowly faded. "And why does _she_ want the Bounty Hunter?" she asked with a frown.

"I've absolutely no idea but I was hoping you'd answer that," he replied with a raised eyebrow.

She snapped her eyes towards him, all past triumph replaced with a glare. "Escape that witch and bring what I asked you to bring. Oh, and make sure the Black Fairy _never_ gets the Bounty Hunter as well. I'll be expecting you, Hook." Then she added after an afterthought, _"Both_ of you. The hunter will be joining you, correct?"

He raised an eyebrow at her request to protect the Bounty Hunter. "Aye…" Suddenly feeling uneasy, Hook stepped closer to the water. "But I have to ask: must this be the only way? I'm not so sure this 'package' will be so useful. I'm certain there are other methods; other pe-"

"Need I repeat myself?" Cora's snapped, all sweetness dissipated from her tone.

"Ahh, love, ever the snappy yet sweet, beautiful woman," Hook commented, deciding to resort back to his charming lilt as clearly he would need it to calm the witch down. "I understand... Cora," he continued, trying hard not to put so much venom in his voice. "But surely this package must not be the only way. There are others, perhaps more reliable means because from the looks of it, darling, this one seems... Faulty."

"There is no other way, my dear." She glared at him and studied his expression for a moment, before softening her expression. Then she smiled sweetly at him, as if he had never angered her in the first place. "Oh charming, handsome Hook. Having second thoughts because of your new companion? Have you forgotten about your revenge, or has this… Bounty Hunter erased that goal from your mind?"

At the mention of revenge, he clenched his fist, hatred visiting his heart once again. "Never," he replied through gritted teeth.

"Good. Now bring that wonderful package to me and _then_ I will give you the Dark One's dagger, as we agreed upon."

And with that as a finality, Cora disappeared from the water, leaving Hook feeling torn in his thoughts.

* * *

Patience was not one of her best virtues - that she'll gladly accept. So when after one hour passed and Hook still did not appear, Emma decided to ditch the 'resting injured patient' role and climbed down the tree.

She began walking, rubbing her arm as she did. It was feeling much, much better than yesterday, so she supposed she had to give Hook credit for his bandaging skills. Stopping the bleeding took away her exhaustion almost immediately, and it helped a lot with regaining some strength back.

Stopping in front of the familiar circle of Weeping Willow trees, Emma began peering around her surroundings_. Where the hell is he?_ The pirate was nowhere in sight. She would call out his name, but she was still wary of what - or who - may be in the Dark Forest, so she decided to walk around the perimeter to look for him in silence.

Her heart hammered against her chest despite herself, and she scolded herself for being so ridiculous. Hook was _not_ going to abandon her, she reminded herself for the millionth time - he did need _her_ to find the Dark One after all, not to mention the three men were at Dead Man's Cove, which was where his precious ship lay. He needed her to guide him through the Dark Forest safely. But the slight panic betrayed her relatively contradicting thoughts. _Where the hell was he?_

Maybe he's lost. Yeah, that had to be it. The cocky idiot probably walked too far or missed this area or something. Emma stopped walking and looked down at the water near her shoes. It was so clear, so fresh, so _clean…_ She bit her lip at the tempting thought - well, she hasn't exactly had time to really bathe for the past few days, and just because her lifestyle required her to be constantly on the move, it didn't mean that she had to smell so terrible in the process. She lifted her arm and took a whiff - _God,_ that is disgusting. Hygiene it is.

She glanced around her before bending over to remove her boots. This part of the forest didn't have much danger to it as the rest of the area, so she would be safe. It wouldn't be the first time she tried to clean herself in these parts, anyway. And seeing that Hook was nowhere to be found and was most likely walking back to the tree they had stopped over, she didn't have to worry about him catching her. _Who cares if he even sees you, anyway?_ Emma thought. She doesn't. She wouldn't.

Stripping off her beige blouse over her head, she took a step into the cool water, gradually submerging herself in it. God, that felt so good. She took a moment to revel in the coolness of the water, leaning her head back to look above her. She had kept her undergarments on (who knew what was swimming in these waters) but was nonetheless very bare on the upper body. It also helped that she felt a little safer with the fact that there was a wall of bushes at her left, making it seem like she was in her own private zone.

After a short while, she began scrubbing at her body, trying to rub away the dirt and sweat the clung onto her skin. Her bandages were soaked now - Hook would probably be livid since he worked so hard on them - but her wound felt fine so she didn't mind. Satisfied with her work, she leaned her head back once again and splashed around, deciding to take a few short minutes to relax.

_I wish I knew how to swim_, she thought to herself as she walked around the shallow water, staring out at the rest of the freshwater pool before her. Well, she'd have to blame Neal for that unfortunate fact - ever since he left, she never bothered with learning how to swim. And perhaps it was because deep inside, she hoped that he would come back and fulfill his promises…

Speaking of promises… She and Graham promised to look out for each other - typical, expected deal that one would make with your business partner, but if she was being honest, he really was her only friend. He was there for her for all these years, watching her back and treating her with kindness (though he tended to be grumpy whenever she couldn't learn a move as quickly as he would've liked, Emma thought with a smirk). Graham and Edon really were the only 'family' she had, and her stupid, stubborn, cold self just had to realize that _now,_ just when they were in mortal danger...

A snap of a twig interrupted her brooding. Alarmed, Emma whipped around, but when she saw what had made the sound, she couldn't bring it in herself to move due to her horror.

There, standing with his cutlass drawn and grasped in his hand, was Captain Hook, looking just as bewildered as Emma was horrified, his eyes widening when he finally caught sight of her, only because of one horrifying fact:

He had seen her _naked._

* * *

**A/N: **Mwhaha! Next chapter we see Emma & Hook's reaction to this... situation ;)


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N:** Some mature themes implied - very briefly (since I'm portraying the adult Emma & trying to keep her as in-character as possible) - but nothing beyond Rated T.

Also thank you to all who reviewed/followed/favorited :") Hope you enjoy some more HookxEmma banter & badass-ery here... :)

* * *

Emma Swan has bedded her handful of men in her life (literally a handful, mind you - she was still a human with carnal needs), so nakedness wasn't exactly an issue. In fact, she couldn't really care much about it as her sexual encounters were always purely physical and straight to the point - no strings attached and perfectly casual, not to mention incredibly brief.

No big deal. None at all.

But when _Hook_ came barging through the bushes, in complete view of all her naked glory, Emma couldn't find it in herself to stay cool. She downright flustered and spluttered, and it seemed that Hook was at a loss for words as well.

At first when he rushed in, he looked as if he was ready for a fight, but when his eyes settled on hers, bewilderment crossed his face followed by his sapphire eyes widening in realization at exactly _what_ he had come across. And, Emma would swear on all her beloved weapons, she swore she saw _another_ expression on the pirate's face for a brief second.

_Was Hook… Embarrassed?!_

_God,_ as if the entire situation could get worse. But just as the thought crossed her mind, so did the bizarre expression on Hook's face, and soon he lowered his cutlass, a mischievous grin slowly forming on his face as his eyes gradually wandered from her face and down towards her...

_"HOOK!"_

It seemed that Emma managed to find her voice after all. At the sight of her red, livid face, Hook finally found the decency in himself to tear his eyes away from the Swan's body (quite literally; he was basically ogling at this point), the initial, incredibly brief fluster in his face quickly replaced by a smirk tugging at his lips as he turned his body to the side to face away from her.

"And here I thought there were dangerous creatures to fend off," Hook mused.

"_I will tear your limbs apart, Hook_," Emma growled, inching quickly towards the shore where her clothes lay. She glared at Hook's form, who was still facing away from her.

"Correction - here I thought there were _other_ dangerous creatures to fend off." He let out a low chuckle then frowned, realizing what she'd just said. "Back to 'Hook' now, are we? And here I thought my surname was sounding so lovely- _OW!"_ He let out a loud yell when he felt something very hard hit the back of his head. "_What in the bloody hell was that_-"

"Don't you _dare_ turn around," Emma warned him, getting ready to whip another large rock at him as she held onto her clothes in front of her body with another hand.

Letting out a loud, irritated sigh, Hook stopped mid-way from turning around and slowly went back to his original position. Seeing that he was clearly not going anywhere, Emma let out another low growl as she began drying herself.

After she was finally back to being fully dressed and _mostly_ dry, they stepped out of the freshwater pool area and began walking. Hook remained silent the entire time, presumably still angry at the pain from the rock Emma had thrown at him as he kept on pointedly rubbing the back of his head. But Emma could care less about a trivial bump to the Captain's head. The pirate deserved it for ogling at her chest… Emma ran a frustrated hand down her face, trying to will away the heat rising to her cheeks. _Oh hell yes,_ that was the last time she's going to pull a stunt like that with the pirate lurking around.

She glanced at said pirate, who stopped rubbing his head and was now walking by her side, a smile twitching at the corner of his mouth as he absentmindedly touched the satchel dangling by his waist. _Hmm, he always touches that thing…_ she thought briefly before shaking the thoughts away. Even though he was silent, she could feel the thoughts and innuendos wheeling around in his mind. And while she was initially grateful he had the decency not to be so vocally lecherous about catching Emma in such a...compromising position, she couldn't take his knowing smirk anymore.

_"God..._ Jones, just say whatever the hell you wanted to say!" Emma suddenly snapped. He raised an eyebrow questioningly at her but looked thoroughly amused nonetheless.

"I can't take that annoying smirk on your face anymore," Emma muttered irritatedly as an explanation. "Go on. Say what's on your perverted mind."

The smirk on his face broke into a grin. _Well, if the lady insists..._ "You know, love, if you wanted me that badly, there was no need for such a seductive display. All you have to do is ask."

She rolled her eyes but felt extremely grateful that he made no leering comment about her body parts. Maybe she did manage to hide them well after all. "In your dreams, Jones." He opened his mouth to retort, most likely with another clever innuendo about what _exactly_ his dreams will entail of, but Emma gladly cut him off when she spotted something in front of them.

"Hey! Pecking Fruits!" She grabbed two small, round orange fruits from the tree they were now standing under and threw one to Hook.

He looked bemused at first at the strange name, but then he looked down at the fruit he was now holding, a suspicious expression on his face.

Emma rolled her eyes. "What? It's just a fruit. You think I poisoned it or something?"

Hook gave her an unimpressed look that seemed to say, '_Well I_ did_ just see you naked_', making her sigh. She took a bite out of it and held up the fruit for him to see. "See? Perfectly fine," she said. "And trust me, if I wanted to kill you, it would be much more violent than a fruit."

Hook seemed to be satisfied with her proof, so he shrugged and followed her lead, taking a bite of it as well. He chewed on it slowly, savouring its taste. It was… sweet. Very sweet, like a peach of some sort, except less sour. He could feel Emma's eyes on him as he pondered on the strange fruit's taste, and so he drifted his gaze towards her, causing the stubborn woman to snort and promptly dart her green eyes away from him.

They stood like that for a while, eating the fruits quietly until Hook decided to break the silence. "Such _round,_ smooth, _fleshy_ things… So _tempting_ to _grab..."_ he mused, looking up at the tree thoughtfully. He could feel Emma's menacing glare at him and looked at her, giving her his best innocent expression.

"What? I was talking about the fruits, darling, no need to get all excited," he defended himself, though the mischief twinkling in his eyes gave him away.

To his relief, Emma didn't claw his face out but instead averted her eyes away from him, muttering something about a 'perverted bastard'. His grin widened in realization as to why she decided not to say or do anything - Emma now had a pink tint on her cheeks and was pointedly avoiding his gaze. Absolutely delightful and astonishing, he must say. He never took her as the kind of woman to blush and the fact that he had some sort of effect on her delighted him, and so suddenly he felt a rush to make sure the colour stayed on the Swan's beautiful face.

He took a step towards her but before he could open his mouth, a loud snap of a twig stopped him, causing Emma to snap her head in its direction.

She glanced at him and he nodded silently at the instruction in her eyes, following her as she slowly drew her sword, peering around her warily. They began walking carefully around the tree, bodies tense with apprehension, until -

_"Jones, run!_"

Before he could see exactly _what_ they were about to run from, he heard it: a loud, shrill screech that came from the tree above them, followed by the sound of scratching against wood. He could only imagine that whatever creature made that unpleasant sound was now hurriedly climbing down the tree, most likely towards them.

He heard Emma mutter a curse as she shoved past him, dragging him by the wrist as they began to run. "I should've known…" she mumbled in an irritated tone.

"What in the bloody hell was that?!" Hook asked in bewilderment, trying to crane his neck to see what was chasing them. But before he could fully turn his head, Emma's grip on him tightened and he looked at her in alarm, only to see a scowl on her face.

"Baboons," she replied in a hiss. "Well, they _look_ like baboons. They don't like it when people steal their fruits. Shit, so, _so_ stupid - I should've remembered…" she repeated again, closing her eyes briefly in frustration as they ran.

"Hey, no need to bring yourself down, lass," Hook said in a soft tone that surprised even himself; trying to look back once again. This time he was able to get a better look at said 'baboon' - the creature looked positively vicious and unforgiving, as it bared its teeth threateningly at the sight of Hook's face. "It's not your fault these bloody creatures are-"

_Mad,_ was what he wanted to say, but before the word came out of his mouth, something large and dark leapt in-between him and Emma, causing her to release her grip on him-

_"Swan!"_

He immediately sliced his cutlass in the air, trying to fend away the second baboon that was now baring its teeth at him. It seemed that the first baboon that was chasing them had friends, as the first one was now circling around them as the second one pounced towards Hook mercilessly. The baboon swiped its rather large claws at his face (_'oh how bloody perfect, the animal has claws'_) causing him duck his head away. Then he heard a loud yell from behind the baboon attacking him and he spun around, his long coat twirling around him as he tried to cut the baboon's head off while trying to crane his neck to see how Emma was doing at the same time.

"_Just-die-you-little-shit_-"

He grinned at the sight of her furious and very concentrated red face - really, the lass was as tough as nails and an incredibly skilled swordsman (or swords_woman_) - and so he couldn't resist calling out to her. "How's it going there, lass? Having fun?"

"_Bugger-off-Jones_-" she grunted back as she ducked low, effectively missing the lunge towards that the baboon had attempted and aiming her sword towards the animal. Hook took the time to raise an eyebrow at her even while he was fending off his own baboon - truly, Swan should really stop trying to mimic his accent; she was a horrible imitator…

But just when Emma had began to straighten up, smiling smugly at the fact she had just gave the baboon a nice, big bloody cut, the creature seemed to have risen from the spot it had fallen on and was now sprinting towards Emma, who was completely unknowing at this point -

"Swan, behind you!" Hook yelled to her. But his warning was too late - the baboon had already pounced on her, knocking her to the ground.

Hook let out a yell of fury, the sudden surge of anger causing him to finally hit the baboon away from him, knocking it out completely. He didn't even bother to check whether it was alive or dead - he needed to get to Swan now, and so he ran towards her, grabbing the baboon by the back before it could claw Emma's face out, and he threw the animal off of her.

As expected, the creature didn't look very pleased with what Hook did and so it bared its teeth, letting out a loud shriek. But Hook was vindictive - he grabbed one of Emma's swords and whipped it at the baboon as if it was a spear, effectively stabbing it right through the animal's body, rendering it limp and lifeless.

Emma stared wordlessly at the whole scene, her face still ablaze with the fire of battle but bloody nonetheless - the stupid creature had managed to claw open her old wound from earlier. Hook shrugged at her arched eyebrow and offered her his hand.

"I could've handled that thing myself, you know," she informed him dryly, but she took his hand anyway.

It was true - he knew how perfectly, _perfectly_ capable the skilled Bounty Hunter was - and he let her know that with a smug smile. "Couldn't resist it, love. Don't like seeing you get hurt," he replied with a wink.

But just when he finally pulled her back up to her feet, he heard a scuffle from behind him, causing his grin to fall off his face. Before he could turn around to see what had made that sound, a sharp, piercing pain sliced through his abdomen, and he stumbled forwards, his body falling against Emma, who was looking at him in alarm.

"J-Jones…?"

He tried to speak, tried to lift up an arm, a leg, anything that would warn her of the danger that was to come. He needed to tell her to watch out - something was still attacking them - he needed to get them out of here, protect them, protect her-

But only a strangled gasp left his mouth as his wide eyes finally found her own concerned ones, and he felt himself slowly becoming more limp, all sensation and consciousness leaving his body…

He finally closed his eyes and blackness ensued, the last thing he saw being the bright shade of green.

* * *

**A/N:** Sorry for the cliffhanger but it had to happen! Also is it just me or isn't it awesome having Hook & Emma fighting as a team?

Next chapter - one of my favourites... And you'll see why ;)


	15. Chapter 15

Travelling on the Jolly Roger has allowed him to be exposed to a grand variety of experiences, including different realms and worlds that had customs and legends of their own. On one occasion, he overheard a man talking to his mate about a being from the afterlife - _'angel'_ , was what he'd called the being, and it was supposedly something that was very beautiful and divine; a true sight to behold in the afterlife.

So perhaps what he was gazing at right now was just that: an angel hovering over him, its golden tresses curtaining his face. He would say that it was truly a beautiful sight to behold and that the bloke he'd been eavesdropping on was certainly not lying when he said that an angel's presence was absolutely breathtaking, but alas his vision was a blur of swirling colours. The only thing that seemed to be not spinning was the angel's silhouette above him.

"Jones? Jones! Can you hear me?!"

He stirred at the sound of his surname - it seemed that these divine beings were knowledgeable about the dead folk they welcome into the afterlife. Slowly closing his eyes with a faint smile, he wondered briefly if the angel looking down at him knew his first name; he would very much like it if the angel would say it, for its voice sounded so eerily similar to Swan's…

"Jones, are you seriously going to make me say it?" the voice spoke again, though more frustratedly this time. _"Killian,_ dammit - don't you dare die on me, you bastard!"

This time he didn't close his eyes completely as he felt a warm hand touch his face, the heat from it escaping its fingers and into his cheek. The slow, steady feeling of warmth travelled from his face to the rest of his body, and suddenly he felt himself gradually becoming more and more conscious at what was happening. His eyes flew open. _What had just happened? _Why was he still alive? He swore he felt the baboon pierce Swan's sword through his body - he should be dead by now or at least on the verge of it, but he could only feel the faint sensation of the wound's pain throbbing in his abdomen.

His eyes finally found hers, whose expression was both bewildered yet relieved, her initially pale face slowly gaining back its colour. And _Gods_ help him if he pushes aside the thought of angels - _she_ truly was a beautiful sight for sore eyes.

"Emma," he managed to breathe. "How did you- where did you-"

His stammers were met with a rough shove against his shoulder. "Why the hell did you do that?!" she shouted at him, ignoring his loud groan.

"And here I thought you were _relieved_ to see me alive, Swan," he muttered through gritted teeth, glaring at her as he rubbed the spot where she'd hit him.

At his words, her expression softened. "You almost died," she said softly, looking away. But the hard glare returned as she snapped her eyes towards his. "For a Captain, you're one hell of an idiot, you know that-"

"How did you do that?" he said in a low voice, interrupting her rant. She stopped talking and blinked at him. "You healed me," he went on, breathing heavily. "I was so certain I was dead, Swan, but when you touched my cheek, I was somehow brought back to life. The pain is virtually gone now - how did you do that?"

Now her hard look was gone completely and she stared at him as if he just asked her how many heads she has. "W-what? I don't know - maybe it was this?" She held up a bundle of plants for him to see as an explanation, though she looked unsure herself.

He blinked at the sight of it. Yes, that could be it, but he was almost certain that what he felt was not the mere act of a plant working as an antidote. It was something entirely different, something completely unworldly, something like… _Magic._ He lifted his eyes back to hers, trying to read for any sign of hidden secrecy between her eyes, but she looked just as confused as he was, so he sighed. Perhaps it was the plants after all, but if the Swan had magic, then it was likely she had no clue about her abilities…

Emma seemed to notice his sigh as her angry tone came back. "You shouldn't have done that, Hook. If you haven't done that, then I could have thrown that creature off of me and you wouldn't have-"

"I know what I've done and I knew the consequences of it," Hook snapped, suddenly irritated. He was _not_ going to explain to her his sudden, unusual feeling of worriedness at the thought of almost losing her. _('Losing' her? Get a hold of yourself, Jones_.)

Taken aback by his outburst, she arched an eyebrow at his tone and so he softened his voice. "Love, I told you from the beginning I'd help you in any way I can, and I swore to myself I'd protect you even if my life depended on it. I am a man with a code of honour, and I intend to stay true to it," he said seriously.

This time something flickered past Emma's eyes, and he cursed himself. He really should stop speaking right now - he knew very well that Emma was recalling their first encounter, and while he certainly said he would help her, he definitely said nothing about protecting her, and he was sure that the way he said 'protect' was too meaningful for his own good… _Gods,_ what is going on with him? Perhaps the stab wound was getting to his head after all. He closed his eyes and let out a breath, opening his mouth to say something that will hopefully cover up his poor choice of words-

"You speak a lot about honour for a pirate," Emma commented, her face now unreadable as she looked down at him.

He shrugged and forced himself to smile. "Maybe I wasn't always a pirate."

It was supposed come out as a joke or something he was indifferent to, but Emma was quick to catch the darkness in the tone. She continued to stare at him, as if scrutinizing his words, then she looked away to get a cloth from her bag.

"Oh really?" she finally responded as she began lifting his shirt to press the cloth onto his wound. He knew that there was curiosity laced in her words, though she tried to play it off. Typical Swan, acting cool and indifferent during such situations.

_Hmm,_ he supposed it wouldn't hurt to tell her. "I used to be a Lieutenant, believe it or not, and a rather handsome one at that," he said, smirking at the surprised expression she gave him at his words. "However, through unfortunate...circumstances, I ended up being wrongfully charged with mutiny. Hence I was deemed a pirate and resulted in becoming one as well."

She raised her eyebrows in surpise. "Why mutiny? What did you do - _'accidentally'_ stole your kingdom's ship?" she snorted.

The familiar feeling of something twisting in his stomach visited at the thought of the reason - why exactly he had lost it all. That moment; that day... He lost _everything..._

"My brother died," he said quietly after a moment's pause. "He was murdered and I was to blame."

Emma stopped cleaning his wound altogether and was now looking at him, yet another unreadable expression on her face. Hook stiffened and suddenly wished he hadn't said anything at all. The words seemed to have rushed out of its own accord, making this whole exchange so incredibly bewildering - he hadn't spoken about his brother's death in such an open manner in centuries, but yet here he was, exposing bits of his painful past to Emma. He shouldn't have said anything - he should have just stuck to a clever innuendo instead. That was what he does best: stomping out vulnerability with bravado. He absentmindedly reached for his satchel, a habit he had for 300 years now. It always seemed to keep him calm. How he longed to feel the familiar texture of the leather and the memories that came with it...

He froze. His satchel - he couldn't feel it; it wasn't there. Hook suddenly jerked up abruptly and began padding his body, searching himself. He could feel his face paling and something drop to the bottom of his stomach at the possibility - _what if he'd lost it during the baboons' attack? _

"Are you looking for this?"

He looked up at Emma's voice and saw she was holding the very satchel he was looking for. Her eyes never left his face as his body immediately relaxed at the sight of it.

"Aye. Thank you, lass," he said, lifting it from her with his hook.

She watched him as he carefully put it around his body. "I had to get that thing out of the way when you were passed out so I could get to that wound," she explained, still eyeing him carefully. "Seems like a pretty important satchel if you looked like you were going to die at the thought of losing it."

He stopped moving at her voice, lifting his eyes to her face. _Does she know...?_ He scanned her expression - there was no real suspicion in her expression; only mild curiosity, if anything.

"It's an important souvenir to me," he finally managed to say carefully. She visibly relaxed at that, consequently making Hook tense once again. Had she been suspecting something else after all...?

"You keep on touching it," she said, looking away from him. "I just- I don't know..."

He raised an eyebrow at her hesitation. Perhaps he should tell her the complete truth about the satchel, so as to lessen any suspicions. He took a deep breath - it was not easy to speak of him, especially after all this time...

"It was... Liam's," he finally said. "My brother."

It was like something in-between them cracked, and Emma seemed to have noticed this too as her eyes softened immediately. He thought that this was it - end of conversation. She believed him and understood the heaviness of that revelation, and so they can nod a silent agreement and get on with it. But what happened next was completely unexpected - perhaps a moment that may change his life forever, if his first meeting with Swan already hasn't.

"When you said you're good at losing people - you weren't just talking about always being on the run from the law, weren't you?"

He stayed still at her words - her voice spoke in rhetoric statements, like an observation she already knew but was afraid to ask, for fear of what may happen between them. He never took his eyes off of hers as he jerked his head ever so slightly, a motion so small and quick but was unmistakably a nod.

"He took him from you."

"How do you know all this?" Hook said quickly, his face guarded as he bore his eyes into hers. There was no way that she knew that Rumpelstiltskin was the one who murdered Liam. There was no way Swan was this perceptive - even if from the beginning she seemed to read and understand everything there was to him, when he tried so hard to keep himself as guarded and closed off as possible.

_Huh, how the tables_ really_ have turned._

She too didn't look away when she replied, green eyes as hard and impenetrable as his.

"I know deprivation when I see it."

The understanding in her eyes as she'd said it tugged something in Hook's chest that he'd never known still existed as he looked back at her. He'd almost forgotten for a second that she too had her own history of loss and abandonment, even though he'd no idea what the Swan's entire story was. He wondered for a moment what his own eyes told her that was making her look at him like that, because whatever it was, he was torn between hating himself for exposing it or thankful that Emma was the one to be able to see it.

Meanwhile, Emma had similar thoughts of her own, and the same confusing mixture of panic and relief swirled in her mind. There was silence between them now as they looked at each other, evidently trying to see who would break it first. And whoever did would have the choice to either continue this dangerously intimate interaction or push it aside altogether. Emma opened her mouth, resolving to stick with the latter - she was the one who stupidly dove into this risky topic anyway, so it was only fitting that she'd put it to a complete stop altogether.

But the words that tumbled out of her mouth betrayed her, because maybe she did understand the darkness inside of him. And maybe that was what Hook needed - someone to understand _him._

"You'll get it," she said quietly, placing a hand on his shoulder reassuringly and looking at him straight in the eye. "Your revenge. You'll kill Rumpelstiltskin. You'll get your justice."

And that was it - the moment both of their walls came crumbling down; the game they've been playing against each other since the beginning coming to a complete halt. And before Hook could make anything out of the emotions now clouding over her green eyes; before Emma could find the logic and sense in her to shut everything out again; before she could even think twice about the high risk she was about to take, she leaned in.

She didn't know why she was doing it or how it was happening, but all she felt was her lips slowly grazing over the corner of his own; the feeling of his scruff tickling her skin. She heard the sound of him taking a sharp intake of breath at the contact, and she smiled briefly against his skin before finally pulling away.

It was quick and it was brief - a peck, almost, but more charged and full of unspoken words that she was too much of a coward to say. She told herself she'd given it to him because he deserved it - he _did_ save her life multiple times so far, after all, even if the cocky idiot didn't have to. And much to her utmost confusion, she was actually _scared_ that Hook was dead when he fell unconscious into her arms, and not because she wouldn't have him by her side to fight with her against the dangers of this forest anymore, but because she was genuinely afraid of losing him, the pirate, as a _person…_ Huh, maybe she was starting to like Captain Hook after all...

"Thank you," she whispered, because that was all she could say at the moment as an explanation for her risky actions. Hook's eyes searched hers without shame, burning with questions. But at the moment, Emma didn't feel like answering them as she could feel her guard building up once again. And so she cleared her throat, turning around to fumble with her bag to hide the colored heat that was now rising to her cheeks.

"So, tomorrow morning we're going to head straight to Dead Man's Cove - it's probably less than a mile from here…" She continued to chatter away, feigning as much casualness as possible, avoiding his intense, searching gaze.

Hook remained silent the whole time, watching her.

But if she looked, she'd see Killian Jones slowly lift his hand, touching the now burning spot where she had just kissed him.

* * *

The next morning, they set off for Dead Man's Cove in silence.

Emma didn't say much during their trek, except to instruct him here and there. Hook could only imagine that she was extremely tense with apprehension of seeing her friend, the huntsman, as tonight was the third sunset after all. Whenever he saw the anxiety creased on her forehead, he instinctively reached out to comfort her but then upon recalling their conversation last night, recoiled.

Neither of them mentioned any word of it since then. Yet he couldn't get it out of his mind, no matter how much he tried.

A part of him hated the blonde in front of him - hated her for besting him in every way possible; for seeing right through him and pushing past his guards. For being a bloody stubborn, hard-headed pain in the arse one moment, then an analytic sympathiser the next second. '_I know deprivation when I see it_' - just who was this woman, anyway? He didn't need her accurate observations; he didn't need her understanding nor those sickeningly sympathetic eyes she gave him when she saw his revealing expression.

Though she was unaware of it, the Swan had the upper hand now. She did the one thing that no one had done for him in the 300 years he has been living - not his first mate and good friend, Smee, nor even his first love, Milah. _Emma Swan understood him_. Not half-heartedly; not inaccurately. No, she understood him in a way that stung, as if she knew exactly what he was thinking and feeling - wholeheartedly and completely. Empathetically. Perfectly. Like kindred spirits… _No._ He refuses to entertain that thought. This wasn't supposed to happen. This was _not_ part of the initial plan. _He_ was supposed to be the one to break down _her_ walls, force his way in, get what he needs, and then leave. Most certainly not the other way around. _Bloody hell,_ what was she playing at? _He_ was the one who created this game, didn't he? _So why was he letting her win? _

But alas, that part of him was shrinking away and perhaps already disappeared before he even noticed. And the other part of him - the side of him that had been locked away ever since the birth of Captain Hook - grew. He'd almost forgotten what it was like to be the man he once was: Killian Jones, the hopeful, trusting, caring, loving young man from a long time ago. The abandoned, lost lad and not the vengeful, ruthless plotter of a pirate he'd made himself today. Last night reminded of him of that man - in fact _she_ reminded him of it - and for once he didn't hate it or push it away with anger. For once he had a little hope that maybe, just maybe, Revenge wouldn't be the end of everything. He hoped deep inside that there was something beyond it - perhaps a happier ending than simply justice for what was taken from him.

He sighed and tore his eyes away from Emma. The cards have been drawn. The game has been played. And he has lost - willingly.

_Gods,_ he had no bloody idea what to do now. He screwed himself over with this one. But if he was being brutally honest with himself, there was only one thing he was absolutely sure of:

She was his undoing.

* * *

They came to an abrupt halt in front of a line of tall bushes. Hook was close at Emma's tail and therefore crashed into her back, letting out a strained yelp at the contact. But before he could mutter out a curse, Emma spun around and faced him, and he closed his mouth at the sight of her face.

"What's wr-"

"It's a trap," she said, biting the bottom of her lip as her eyes looked to the side. Hook blinked at her - it was so bizarre and rare seeing even an ounce of worry on the Bounty Hunter's face, and he knew that she must have increased her trust in him if she was letting her guard down a little bit.

"Aye, we've established that," Hook said slowly, watching her face in concern. "But we've also agreed on our plan, remember Swan? I go in and make a grand scene of things while you-"

"I know, I know." Emma ran a hand down her face and glanced back at the bushes uncertainly. "It's just… _The Black Fairy_, the friggin' _student_ of the _Dark One_ -"

He chuckled, realizing what she was thinking. "Like I said when we first met: you're one tough lass. With excellent swordsmanship, I must add. I've no doubt whatsoever in your abilities."

Even though he was apprehensive at the possibility of the Black Fairy himself, he was sincere in his words. Emma knew he was too, as she looked at him with a strange expression on her face, the same one she'd given him when he complimented her on her reputation as the notorious Bounty Hunter a few days ago. And it was then Hook realized: Emma Swan wasn't very used to being complimented, despite the fact she had a notorious title that was feared and revered by many. This realization alone was strange, as the Bounty Hunter was very skilled - and not to mention, very, _very_ attractive - and the fact alone made Hook want to compliment her even more.

"And if - _once_ we get Graham back. What then?"

She looked at him tentatively - she didn't have to elaborate. Hook knew she was asking what he'd been thinking earlier: do they continue their initial business deal? It was dangerous and he was almost certain Emma would probably not want to have anything to do with him after the things he'd told her, but he also wasn't lying when he said he did _need her_ for his revenge... Maybe two days ago the Captain Hook in him would, without hesitance, insist on them continuing their initial deal after saving the huntsman. Maybe threaten her or use his alternative choices in persuasion. But alas, he wasn't going to fight with his conflicting personas anymore. He'll let Swan decide their fate.

_Yet if she walks away_… They shared bits of their own broken pasts together, though mostly through heavy, one-liners. They understood each other. Broke walls. Made a connection. What would happen to them then?

He made his choice.

"Whatever you decide, love," he finally replied with a small smile.

She searched his eyes for a moment - presumably for any lies, he thought with a smirk. Then without another word, she briefly returned his smile before turning around and inching towards the line of bushes once again. They slowly walked together, their carefully laid out plan playing in their heads as they did. Because they knew for sure that beyond that wall of bushes was Dead Man's Cove.

They didn't hear the careful movement to their left.

Emma slowly pushed aside the leaves and peered through, a small gasp escaping her mouth when she saw it.

There, sitting in the middle of a circle of boulders, was a wooden cage. And inside was Graham.

She could make out bits and pieces of Graham's curly, sand-colored hair, and the trail of his long, fur cloak. She tried to strain her neck to see whether she could see Ruby's familiar red hood or Edon's hairy self. But before she could take a step further, Hook suddenly caught her wrist with his hook -

Something hard and heavy hit the side of her head and she fell to the ground, unconscious.

* * *

**A/N: **Yes, Killian's revenge isn't for Milah's death (she left him for reasons unstated in this fic, but basically they were in love once & her leaving him left him just as heartbroken as Emma when Neal left her...*ahem* parallels…), but for his brother's murder, Liam. Yup, Rumpel killed Liam, thus the revenge. Why? How? Well you'll just have to read hehe :)

Also sorry for the little tease on the CS kissing - I promise you that when they truly kiss, it'll pull your heartstrings (or at least, I hope it does). Mwhahaha.

And YET AGAIN, the cliffhanger! Sorry sorry sorry haha :(

Next chapter - so many things going on. We see Graham, Jealous!Killian, the Three Men's identities, AND we find out who the "Boss" is.


	16. Chapter 16

When she opened her eyes, she was met with a blinding light and the feeling of a throbbing pain in her head. Emma groaned and tried to focus her vision. _Where the hell was she? _

"Ah, so the princess has awaken."

She stirred at the sound of the voice and squinted her eyes to see the silhouette forming in front of her. "H-Hook?"

He frowned at the mention of his moniker but decided not to correct her this time. "The one and only. You know, I've imagined this quite a few times: me being tied up and you in the same room, though I had hoped that your hands would be free to... _roam_ around," he mused.

Emma groaned again, this time at his terrible sexual joke, but then stopped at his words. _Tied up_? She looked down at her body and felt, as Hook had implied, ropes around her wrists. Emma whipped her head around frantically, vision now clearing up - _why were they tied up? Where were they? And most importantly, why the hell did Ho- _she shook her head, remembering how she had decided to call him by his proper name -_Jones sound so goddamn carefree? _

She snapped her head up to look at him. "Where are we?"

"The Jolly Roger," he replied grimly, his voice now lacking the amusement earlier and now dripping with loathing. "As its rightful Captain, I'd welcome you aboard, Swan, but unfortunately as you can see, I'm - well for the lack of better words - _tied up." _He wriggled his arms, which were behind his back, to prove his point.

Now that her head was clearing up as well, she could see that Hook was definitely not lying: they seemed to be in some sort of empty wooden cellar that reeked of alcohol and waste, and she could make out the faint smell of the sea coming out from the small circular window above Hook's head. Additionally, the swaying that was occurring below them further confirmed what he said - they were definitely on a ship. She glanced back at Hook, who was sitting across from her, watching her. His leather jacket was lying beside him and he looked uncharacteristically haggard and grim. She could only imagine the fury that was within the Captain at the fact his ship has just been taken over.

Emma leaned her head back against the wall behind her and sighed. "They got to us first, didn't they?"

"Aye, I believe we failed to foresee certain loopholes in our plan," Hook replied with a deep frown. Then to her surprise, he let out a low chuckle. "Well at least they decided to imprison us together, unlike their other prisoner, who is alone."

"Other prisoner?" Emma raised her eyebrows in surprise. Then she remembered - _Graham_. "Where's Graham? Is he -"

"The huntsman is perfectly fine. I could hear he puts up a good fight, though I suppose that's not much of a surprise considering he's_ your_ influence," Hook answered with a hint of amusement. "I heard him yelling at someone earlier so I believe he's down two rooms from us."

Emma breathed out a sigh of relief. So Graham was fine but they were still prisoners in this damn ship… _Wait a second… _Why the hell is Hook smirking and making jokes? Shouldn't the Captain be furious at the fact that his ship was basically stolen?

"Why are you so relaxed?" Emma asked, narrowing her eyes suspiciously at him. "Shouldn't you be on a rampage right now?

To her surprise, Hook let out an exasperated sigh. "Again with the suspicions, Swan? And here I believed I finally gained some trust." Then he looked her in the eye. "Oh and believe me, love, you haven't seen Captain Hook angry yet."

Despite herself, she shivered at the dangerous, icy gleam in his eyes when he spoke - _yeah,_ he was definitely angry.

"Besides," he continued, all anger vanishing from his expression and replaced by smugness. "Perhaps I already had a plan that I haven't informed you of yet."

"What do you mean…" Emma said slowly, trying to read past his smug smile.

"Your wrist, darling. Do you feel something?"

She wriggled her hands inside the ropes behind her a bit and felt something sharp against her skin. _The spiked bracelet he usually wears around his hook_... She widened her eyes in surprise. "How did you-"

"Last night," he replied. "When you… After we…" he trailed off, suddenly looking uncomfortable. Emma felt herself go tense as well. He was definitely referring to their shared moment last night, and Emma could only guess that he placed it on her wrist while she was sleeping.

"Why?" Emma asked. It was probably a stupid question - maybe he foresaw the Three Men imprisoning them somehow - but that reason flew out the window when she realized that Hook gave it to her and to her only (he only had one of these rare things, after all), so it could only mean that he foresaw _Emma, _and only Emma, being in a situation like this.

He averted his eyes away from her, and she could swear that she saw guilt somewhere there. "Reasons, love." Then he drifted his eyes towards hers and gave her a smirk, speaking before she could ask any further questions.

"Now, love, are you going to get us out of here or what?"

* * *

Two doors down the hall and a couple of hours earlier, an unknown man was sitting in the middle of an empty room, hands tied behind the chair he was sitting on and his covered head lowered to his chest. It appeared as though he was sleeping or unconscious, but then a hand swiftly grabbed the burlap sack on his head, revealing the man's identity.

"Wake up," the owner of the hand commanded gruffly, giving a kick to the prisoner's shin. The prisoner let out a low groan and shook the curls from his eyes, before finally lifting his head to take a look at his captor. He widened his eyes and let out a gasp.

"_You-!"_

"Me." The man pointed at his own chest with a smirk. "Your name's Graham, right?"

'Graham' didn't reply, but instead continued to glare at him, an expression that seemed to amuse the captor even more.

"All right, I guess it's understandable that you don't want to talk. But hey, where are my manners?" He gestured to the two other men who were standing at the door behind him. "That's Doctor Frankenstein over there - and don't ask what a doctor is because I've no clue either - but you can call him Victor." '_Victor_' bowed his head at the introduction, his leather gloved hands in front him solemnly.

The unknown captor continued. "And that's Jefferson - or you can call him the Mad Hatter because you know, _he's a fucking idiot_." He paused to send a pointed glare towards Jefferson, who only scoffed.

"I did us all a favour," he defended himself, pulling back his worn-out bowler hat. "Knocking them out was the best shot we had. The bitch would have taken us all out before the sleeping powder even takes on its full effect. You know how damn skilled she is."

"I think it is unwise to call the Bounty Hunter such a degrading name in front of her friend, Jefferson," Victor advised in a solemn voice.

At the mention of her title, Graham widened his eyes in fury. "What the hell did you do with Emma?!" he yelled, struggling to get out of his chair. "I swear, if you even _touch_ her, I'll-"

"You'll _what_? Wriggle your way towards me?" The unknown captor barked out a laugh. "Don't worry - Emma's safe and sound. But you know how she is. She'll somehow escape out of her binds sooner or later. That's how she is, no?" The man touched his beard and looked away thoughtfully, as if recalling a fond memory.

Graham narrowed his eyes at the bearded man. "Who are you? What do you want from us?"

"I'll let you in on that later - maybe when she finally makes her appearance. I give her two hours max," he said with a smirk. "And you flatter yourself, but the only thing I want from you is your distraction. What I really want is _Emma_."

"Why? What do you have to do with her?!" Graham glanced at Jefferson and Victor and demanded, "_Who do you work for?!"_

"Huntsman, trust me - you don't want to know. But let's just say our 'bosses' need her to find a certain someone in a certain _White _Kingdom and that she refused to give us her service before, hence the reason why we've gone through these lengths."

Graham let out a scoff. "If you think she'll work for the likes of _you_, then you're delirious. You know nothing about her. She'll never-"

"Oh believe me, I know _everything_ there is to know about her," he cut him off with a smug smile. "Her past, her present, her _future_."

Graham stopped moving at his words and stared at the bearded man warily. "Who are you… to her?"

The bearded man smiled, fingering a small golden pin on the lapels of his black jacket absentmindedly; his eyes twinkling with mischief.

"Let's just say I'm an old friend."

* * *

It wasn't long until Emma cut her way through her own ropes and Hook's, releasing themselves from the binds. Much to Hook's dismay, however, his trusty hook had been removed. _ "We'll find it after," Emma had reassured him. "Graham first." _

It turned out Hook was right - Graham was indeed two doors down the hall from where they were imprisoned and surprisingly the door wasn't locked, making their entrance much easier. It was so easy, in fact, that it seemed suspicious. But Emma will deal with that later - she carefully opened the door and slid her way through it quietly.

"_Emma!_"

Emma wasn't one to express much emotion - quite the opposite, actually. But when she heard his voice and caught sight of her dear friend, who was still limp in his binds and visibly wounded, the words choked in her throat and before she knew what was happening, she was by his side in a flash.

"Graham…" she cupped the side of his face and lifted it so she could take a closer look at the cut by his lip. "Who the hell did this to you?"

"A madman by the name of Jefferson," Graham spat out in distaste. Then he looked back at Emma, who had begun cutting off his ropes with her dagger, in concern. "But this is not important. Emma - _you must go. _You don't know who these three men are working for-"

"The Black Fairy?" Emma cut him off. She let out a scoff, amused by his surprised expression. "She wants me to find someone; she's an evil witch... Yeah yeah, Jones here informed me. Apparently I'm the only one around here who knows nothing about this damn world."

As if noticing him for the first time, Graham looked behind Emma where Hook was leaning against the doorway, his arms crossed as he watched them intently. "You brought the pirate?" Graham asked in surprise.

"This _pirate_ has a name, _huntsman_," Hook said coldly. "That's Captain Hook to you,"

Emma slipped off the ropes off Graham's wrists and glanced at Hook, giving him a small smile. "He helped me. Save you."

Graham seemed bewildered by this - he wasn't sure if it was because of the fact that the _pirate _helped to save him or seeing Emma actually _smile _at someone who wasn't him or Edon, or a bowl of hot stew. As he stood up, he looked back and forth between Emma and Hook curiously, opening and closing his mouth, as if struggling to decide what to say or ask. But before he could fully stand up, Emma wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace. Surprised at first, Graham then relaxed at the contact and subsequently returned the embrace.

"I thought you died," Emma whispered, pulling back to face him. "You, Edon, Ruby… I saw you in the fire. I thought you all died."

"Red managed to escape after they captured me. She didn't listen to me when I told her to run off without me, but they ended up chasing her into the woods... She transformed before they got to her. Clever woman," Graham said with a hint of fondness to his voice, though his eyes were glossed over with sadness.

Emma looked at him carefully, unsure as to why he'd look so sad. "And Edon…?"

"Emma," he said quietly, looking at her straight in the eye. "Edon is…"

_Dead_. The tear that escaped Graham's eye told her everything, and that made Emma's heart break even more. She was always so fond of Edon, the brave and loyal wolf, but she could only imagine how devastated Graham must be feeling. Edon was Graham's pride and glory - his best friend, if wolves could be considered as such. She quickly wiped his tear away and hugged him even tighter, the words ringing loud and clear in her mind: _I'll kill them for what they did to Edon. _

Meanwhile, Hook was watching the intimate exchange with a guarded expression. While he was initially amused by the huntsman's expression at the sight of him and Emma, as soon as he saw Emma _embrace _Graham, all amusement was replaced by a deep frown. Strangely enough, he felt very bothered by the sight of Emma hugging the huntsman so freely. Plus he couldn't really hear what they were now whispering about and they seemed to have forgotten his existence, which made him all the more irritated.

He cleared his throat, causing the two friends to jump. He didn't even try to supress a smirk when they finally separated. "As much I would hate to break such a touching moment," he drawled, not sounding particularly sorry at all. "I still don't have a hook and my ship is still at stake here." He waved his stump at them for emphasis.

"You mean, that metal thing over there?"

Hook and Emma followed where Graham was pointing at. Unmistakably, there was Jones' hook on hanging on a nail on the wall. Giving Graham one last distasteful glance, Hook strode over to the wall and grabbed his metal contraption. However, Emma watched the hook suspiciously.

"This doesn't make sense…" Emma said slowly. "Why is it here? And why was it so easy to come in and save you? It's almost as if…"

"They were expecting you?"

All three of them whipped their heads to the door from where the voice came, simultaneously unsheathing their weapons all at once.

There, standing at the door, were the Three Men. One was wearing a long black leather coat that Hook would be jealous of, with a red scarf and a tattered bowler's hat on his messy hair. Standing next to him was a more solemn man who looked more put together, as he also wore a long black coat except it was fully buttoned all the way up to his neck, and his gloved hands were folding in front of him in a rather formal manner. The bearded one, also fully clad in black, was standing in front of the other two with his arms crossed coolly in front of him, gave Emma a knowing smirk.

"Took you long enough."

* * *

At the sight of the leather gloves, all Emma saw next was red. She didn't even give anyone else the chance to speak - she lunged forward with her dagger in the air, ready to strike. But before she could shove her way past them, her dagger was met with the bearded man's knife and his mocking smile.

"Let's talk first, shall we?"

She glared at him. "_Not interested_."

It was as if her movements triggered something in all of them, as the man with the hat jumped forward to defend his companion, only to be thwarted by Hook, who rushed in to help Emma. At the same time, Graham retrieved a small knife from his ankle and sprinted towards the man with the leather gloves, who had also brandished a knife, although he looked less willing to fight than his other two companions.

Preoccupied with their own respective opponents, each of them fought unforgivingly, leaping from side to side, back and forth until somehow, they ended up on the main deck. This new fighting location seemed to delight the man with the hat, as he quickly jumped towards the main mast and began climbing towards the crow's nest, laughing manically when he "accidentally" made a few scratches on the wood.

Hook was livid at the ruined sight of his beautiful ship's wood. "_Oh no you don't_," he growled before jumping after him.

"So easy to capture a ship when all the Captain's men have deserted him," the man with the hat mused when Hook climbed onto the crow's nest.

"Yet I'm still Captain, mate," Hook said with a smug smile, eyes flashing dangerously as he jabbed his cutlass towards the now-laughing man with the hat.

"_Mate? _Man, pirate jargon is so entertaining!" Then he gave Hook a sly smile. "The name's Jefferson, _mate_, and well… You're about to get your ass handed to you."

* * *

Below Hook and Jefferson, Emma fought a game of acrobatics with the bearded man, lunging after him as he tried to dodge her advances. _He's not even trying_, Emma observed in bemusement. However just when the realization crossed, her hand accidentally hit the edge of a wooden crate, causing her dagger to fly in the air and out of reach. Patting her body, she realized that her enchanted bag was missing. The slight alarm she felt must have been shown in her expression as the bearded man let out a laugh, looking amused as he watched her search herself. He crossed his arms, smirking at her.

"Well that sucks."

But before Emma could retort, she heard Hook's voice from above her. "_Swan, catch!_"

Sending one more glare toward the bearded man's way, Emma quickly ran towards where Hook had thrown her enchanted bag - she'll punch him later for keeping that from her in the first place - and dove after it, catching it just in time. She quickly drew out two swords, taking the time to hurriedly throw one to Graham, who was fighting with the leather gloved man not too far from her.

"After 16 years, you still keep that thing?" an amused voice whispered in her ear. _How the hell does he know… _Emma whipped her head around to shove the bearded man away from her, but she froze at what she saw.

The bearded man was face to face with her now, and it was the first time she actually got to take a good look at him close-up. _Those blue-green eyes… _Why did they look so familiar? And the way the bearded man looked pointedly at her enchanted bag after he made his comment was too strange; too _knowing… _And the fact that he hasn't even _attempted _to actually attack her even once…

Seeing her slightly shocked eyes, the man grinned. "_Now _will you listen?"

No, she was not going to take any chances - Emma swiped her sword at him, a move he effectively dodged. _"Who_-" she grunted. "_the hell-_" another swipe. "-_are you?!" _

The man chuckled as he ducked down to dodge her sword. "August is what they call me nowadays. And those are my friends Jefferson and Victor."

_So it isn't him_, she thought. Now she _really_ couldn't care any less at this point. Letting out a scoff at his ridiculous name, she lunged forward to strike again. But this time, August didn't dodge - instead he did some sort of twist with his body and caught her by the wrists, pinning them together.

Emma tried to move out of his grip but he only tightened his hold on her. It was the first time he tried any sort of offensive move on her and Emma could tell he had been trying his best to avoid this situation, as he looked down at her apologetically.

"_What do you want from me?_" she spat, glaring at him.

"To hear me out," he replied simply. But before she could open her mouth, he cut her off. "Listen, Emma: Hook may have told you who we work for, but you don't know exactly what you're dealing with. As he probably told you, the Black Fairy wants you to look for someone in the White Kingdom. And while I _really_ didn't plan on kidnapping you to make you do this, especially for _her_, I want you to make a choice: you either come willingly and without a fight, and things will be a whole less messier, or you do what you always do and well..." He gave her a smirk. "You know what happens when you resist."

Emma had to gape at this. "Are you fucking kidding me? After you almost killed my friends? After you _murdered _Graham's wolf-"

"Emma, _please_, you have to listen to me!" Emma stopped at the sound of August's pleading tone. "You don't understand what's at stake here._ You_ have to go to the White Kingdom - if you don't, _everything_ will be ruined, you understand?" Then he paused thoughtfully and added in a low voice, "Look, as chummy as me and those two other guys seem, I'm actually not as into this line of work as they are. So I'll give you _another_ choice: go to the White Kingdom. I'll stage an intervention; pretend like you escaped. You don't even have to deal the Black Fairy - I'll figure something out. Just as long as you promise to go to the White Kingdom-"

"Why do_ I_ have to find this person? Why can't you just get another bounty hunter-"

"You don't even have to find anyone!" he blurted out, frustrated. Then he took a deep breath and spoke in a calmer voice. "You just have to waltz in there, do whatever you want - as long as _you _are _in_ the White Kingdom."

"Why _me_?"

"Because that's what was written," he said, looking at her seriously. "No one else but you can do it."

Emma narrowed her eyes at him - he may be telling the truth, but whatever the hell he was talking about sounded pretty damn crazy to her. So she made up her mind and spat at his face before hissing two words vehemently:

"_Fuck. You." _

Distracted momentarily, he loosed his grip on her a bit, allowing her to break free from his hold. She jumped backwards from him, glaring as she pointed her sword at him, ready to jab it into his body if he even dared to move.

He looked at her, the apologetic expression back on his face.

"Then you leave me no choice."

* * *

"What is this magic?!" Graham roared when Victor poured two different colored liquids in a vial, the contact of the liquids causing a small explosion.

"Science," Victor replied simply.

"And what the hell is _science_?!" Graham managed to shout, after coughing out the smoke resulting from the mini-explosion.

"_Jefferson, now!_"

Graham and Victor whipped their heads towards August, who had yelled out the instruction. When Graham turned back to look at Victor, he was both surprised and disturbed to see a smug smile on his face.

"I believe you are about to find out."

* * *

"You're mad," Hook stated in disbelief when Jefferson stretched out one leg from the edge of the crow's nest, ready to jump at the sound of August's instructions.

Jefferson tipped his hat and gave him a wicked smile. "_That's what they call me!_"

Yelling after him, Hook leaned over when Jefferson finally jumped, but he would never see whether the madman made it alive from the fall or not, as Jefferson suddenly threw something in the air, subsequently releasing a cloudy vapour.

He didn't need telling twice that whatever was now in the air surrounding his ship was dangerous - Hook leapt towards the rope ladder and began climbing down furiously, determined to kill the mad bloke who had done this. But alas as he reached the bottom, he inhaled the vapour, proving to be a bad idea as it filled his lungs, causing him to become limp and unsteady…

Emma and Graham felt it too, as their swords dropped from their grips, the resulting loud metal _clanks _ringing through the sea air…

August caught Emma with his arms before she could fully drop to the ground. "Sorry, Ems," he whispered. "But you have to do what you're meant to do."

* * *

She tried to swipe at him when her eyes opened once again, but her arms felt limp and lifeless behind her. _Shit. Tied up again, _she thought hazily. Whatever toxins Jefferson threw in the air must have knocked her out. Her head wasn't throbbing this time, though, but instead it was spinning now, as her vision was cloudy and unsteady.

But she could still make out August's figure: he was crouched down in front of her, watching her intently as she tried to groan out an insult.

"The more you try to move, the more your head will hurt," August advised her.

_I don't give a damn. _As if hearing her thoughts, August chuckled. "But of course you won't listen to me." He paused and watched her for a bit, then said, "Since you're being so stubborn, this is the only way. We're almost at her castle now."

_Her castle… The Black Fairy? _Now that she was beginning to stir, Emma could feeling a rocking underneath her. And from the sound of the clacking of hooves outside, it seemed that they were in a carriage. Emma felt a dreading feeling at the pit of her stomach at the thought of meeting the Black Fairy - how the hell are they going to survive _her_…

"I'm sorry it had to come down to this but you really don't understand, Ems," August continued. "Everyone's counting on you, whether they know it or not…" He trailed off and looked out the window, where the silhouette of a dark castle was becoming increasingly visible underneath the smog, unbeknownst to the seemingly drunken Emma.

_What the hell is he talking about and why does he keep calling me 'Ems'… _She could feel her head becoming clearer as the dizziness was slowly coming to halt. August continued his monologue.

"Plus I guess it's good I got you here. The other guys can get their reward from the witch - Jefferson can find his way to his daughter and Victor to his brother…" He let out a soft chuckle. "Sometimes I wonder if they're all in the same land, considering everyone disappeared around the same time…"

The carriage came to a halt, causing August to jerk his head up and stop his speech. He looked outside and smiled, then pulled Emma to her feet as he opened the carriage door.

"Your friends are in the other carriage, in case you're missing them," August informed her. "So you'll see them soon. However I'm not sure if you'll be so pleased to see the Boss…"

She snorted (or at least, she tried to - she was still a little bit drowsy) at the mention of the "Boss", and stumbled out of the carriage. _Yeah, I'll be delighted to see the Black Fairy_. But if she was being honest, she could feel fear creeping up to her skin as they walked in the castle, August's hand guiding her as she wobbled. She could hear footsteps following them, along with Jefferson's distant leering and sneering, so she felt relieved to know that Hook and Graham were at least okay. She squinted her eyes, trying to get a clearer view of her surroundings - all she could see were torches here and there, and many stone walls… It appeared to be the castle courtyard. Then suddenly, she heard footsteps ahead of her and saw a dark figure making their way towards them (surrounded by two guards at his side, from the looks of their axes and matching black hoods, she noted).

August greeted the figure with a nod. "The Bounty Hunter, as planned."

Feeling much more stable now, Emma lifted her eyes to get a good look at the 'Boss', ready to lift her chin defiantly at whatever the Black Fairy spits at her. But when her vision finally cleared and focused, allowing her to finally get a good image, she found her pride slipping away, only to be replaced by horrible, sinking feeling when she realized just who this 'Boss' was.

The "Boss" wasn't the Black Fairy.

It was a man.

Emma widened her eyes in horror, the first word coming out of her mouth since she was intoxicated by Victor's vapours being _nothing _what she wanted nor expected them to be. She opened her mouth and croaked out his name; the one name belonging to the one man she had hoped to_ never_ see again...

"_Neal?_"

* * *

**A/N: **Mwhahahah! Yes, the 'Boss' is Neal! Did any of you expect this? So much mystery & history to be unravelled…

ALSO: Neal isn't going to be a big part of the story - just brief appearances. Also don't expect a love triangle in this fic.

Next chapter - We find out why Neal is there, why he's the Boss & even why he left Emma… Pretty much most of the questions regarding Neal. And some hints about the Black Fairy.

Of course, Killian and Graham are right behind them seeing Emma & Neal's interaction, so we'll get to see their reactions to this (mostly **Killian's**, of course… and we all know how protective the pirate can be over his swan…).

Thank you so much for all your wonderful reviews :) Keep the 'em comin'! The writing process _thrives _on you wonderful, beautiful readers :)


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: **Sorry for the delay in updating! Like most of you, I'm recovering from the CS scenes in the season 3B premiere plus I just had a bunch of midterms from school :( I hope you enjoy this chapter but firstly two things:

-Neal won't be a huge part in this story, so don't expect a love triangle.

-Killian, Graham, Neal, August, Jefferson, and Victor all in the same room?! *evil Rumple voice* _Oh yes, dearies… _

* * *

It was as if the last 10 years of hardening her heart and building up multiple walls crashed down on her at this moment. _This must be some sort of sick trick… _Emma wished for it over and over again as she stared at the familiar man in front of her. It was definitely Neal, except a little older, of course. But even if it was him, it didn't make sense - was _he_ the Black Fairy? Why is he here? _Was he working for her, too?_

From the looks of his stunned face, it seemed he had a lot of questions as well.

"_Emma_?"

_God, _the sound of his voice just confirmed it all: it definitely was Neal, straight to the bone to the last vibration of those goddamn husky vocal chords. His voice sounded just like when they were still together, a long, long time ago… _Keep yourself together, Emma. Remember. _But she could already feel herself cracking as the sound of her name from his mouth echoed through her.

"Emma," Neal repeated again, this time his surprised face breaking into a grin. He let out a laugh. "Emma, _you're _the Bounty Hunter?! Wow, if I've only known, then I wouldn't have-"

"What the _fuck _is going on here, Neal?!"

_No_, Emma Swan was_ not_ going to let Neal Cassidy break her down just by a simple surprise appearance after ten years of being absent from her life. No, she was no longer the naïve, hopeful little eighteen-year-old girl who fell in love with him years ago. Breathing heavily, she glared at him and gritted her teeth furiously, because that was _exactly _what she was feeling at that moment: _anger_.

He raised his eyebrows in surprise at her angry tone and then glanced at her arms, which were evidently tied behind her back. He motioned to the two guards at his side. "Guys, what you doing? Untie her! She's not a prisoner here!" He gave Emma a boyish grin, one all too familiar to her. "She's an old friend."

_He thinks he can just smile at me like that and everything's all right? _she thought incredulously. But nevertheless, she felt a little less tense at the feeling of her arms free from her bindings and at the same time, a sudden urge to smash Neal's teeth in overcame her. But alas, such an impulse was thwarted by the sound of a familiar voice behind her.

"Swan! Did they hurt you - _bloody hell, if they did _-"

Indeed, Jefferson and Victor had now dragged in Hook and Graham, the former looking particularly livid at their situation, yet concerned at the sight of Emma, while the latter was still disoriented. She gave Hook a stiff nod as a reply, then glanced at Neal, who was now trying to peer at the other two prisoners. Furrowing his eyebrows at her tense expression, Hook followed her gaze and looked at Neal -

"B-_Baelfire?" _he croaked out, his eyes widening at the sight of Neal.

"_Hook? _Why are_ you _here?!"

_Baelfire? _Emma looked between Neal and Hook in confusion. "Wait, you two _know _each other-"

Neal suddenly rounded on Emma. "Did _you _bring him here?!" Furious, he took a step towards her. "_Answer me-"_

_What the actual fuck?! _She glared at him and opened her mouth to curse at him, but Hook spoke up instead. "_Oi! _Don't talk to her like that!"

Breathing heavily, Neal gave Hook one long, furious glare, before turning towards one of the guards. "Lock this guy up."

"Wait- what? _No!_" Emma stood in front of Hook, arms outstretched to prevent the guard from touching Hook. "You are _not _touching this guy. He's with me." She glared at Neal. "Untie him."

Neal ran a frustrated hand down his face and looked at Emma seriously. "Look, you don't know this guy - he's _dangerous_. He's not to be trusted. He took _everything_ from me-"

"Baelfire, I told you I was deeply sorry-"

"You shut up, Hook!" Neal pointed a shaky finger towards Hook, who (much to Emma's bewilderment) looked immensely pained as he looked at Neal. "Don't call me that, you hear me? It's_ Neal, _now_. _And you have no excuse for what you did! _You_ made my father who he is today; _you're_ the one who killed my_ uncle-_"

"And there is not a day that goes by that Peter's death does not haunt me," Hook admitted, voice cracking as he looked pleadingly at Neal. "Baelfire, I was not lying when I said it was an accident-"

Neal let out a hollow laugh. "Excuses, excuses. Nothing has changed after all these years, hasn't it? You claim honor and good form, yet you'd do anything as long as it benefits you in the end." He sneered at him. "Why should I believe a _pirate_?"

"Because this pirate once cared for you like his own son," Hook whispered brokenly.

This seemed to have rendered Neal speechless for a split second as his eyes widened by a fraction; a flash of emotion briefly in them. But it was quickly erased as it came, and soon Neal was making his way towards Hook furiously.

"Stop it!" Emma ducked below and pushed Neal back to prevent him from punching Hook. "_I said stop-"_

"_Why did you bring him here?!" _Neal roared, pushing her away. "I can't believe - _this is all your-"_

"Hey! _I'm _the only one who's allowed to be angry around here!" Emma shouted back, green eyes flashing dangerously. Her words seemed to have struck some sense into Neal, as he drew in a breath and let out a long sigh.

"All right," he agreed. "All right, Emma, but-"

"_Emma_?" Graham suddenly spoke up, seeming to have finally come back to full consciousness. He looked around his dark surroundings in confusion then blinked at the sight of Emma's angry face and Neal's apologetic expression. "Wait, what is going on here?" He looked between Emma and Neal carefully, both of whom were standing face to face, perhaps too closely, the former breathing heavily in anger while the latter looked apologetic. "Do you two know each other?"

Emma looked up at the sky and let out a frustrated sigh._ This was getting too ridiculous_. She looked back at Graham and gestured to Neal in a sweeping, dramatic manner. "Neal, this is Graham. Graham, this is Neal - the _asshole_ I mentioned once when you asked me if I… You know..." she trailed off, knowing that Graham would get the point.

Remembering what she meant, Graham raised his eyebrows then gave Neal a distasteful look. "Oh. Right." Then his eyebrows furrrowed. "However that still does not answer my-"

"_Asshole_? Really?" Neal crossed his arms and looked at Emma with an amused expression. "That's not very nice."

"I have a few choice words, but that's the first one that usually comes to mind," she replied dryly.

He uncrossed his arms and let out a sigh. "Emma, look: I feel really bad for what happened. I _really_ do -"

"You _left _me, Neal. _Abandoned_ me. Does that sound familiar?" She scoffed at his wince, uncaring of how stinging her words were. "_Ten_ _years_, Neal."

"You don't understand, Ems, I _had _to -"

"You sent me to prison!" she cried out in disbelief at the excuses he was now trying to make. "I looked _everywhere_ for you! You didn't even send me a note or warning or _anything_ -"

"I _wanted_ to," he insisted. "Every goddamn day, I regretted -"

"Yet throughout all these years, you never even tried to look for me _once_," she sneered.

Rendered speechless by this statement, he stammered before taking a deep breath. He gave her a weak smile. "At least you were happy."

She gaped at him. "Are you _fucking_ _kidding_ me right now? You think that when I waited almost two years for you, hoping that maybe, just maybe, you'd come back, that I was _happy_?!"

He winced again, then gestured at her dark clothing with a sheepish smile. "Well you're the infamous Bounty Hunter now-"

"I _loved _you!"

As soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted them. A long silence filled the room as she looked at him, body trembling with anger, the only sound being her heavy breathing and an awkward shuffling behind her. It was then that Emma was reminded that they were not alone and that there were others watching this heated, exposing argument, which made her feel all the more worse. She glanced at the others - August was watching with an amused expression on his face; Graham looked torn between confusion and increasing distaste towards this Neal bloke; Jefferson was busy giving his attention to something he picked out of his nose; Hook looked absolutely _livid _at Neal now, all deep pain completely vanished from his eyes; while Victor just looked, well… bored.

She slowly drifted her gaze back at Neal, just wanting to get all the words she'd kept pent up inside of her for all these years. She could really care less of who was listening at this point. "I thought I was _with child_, Neal," she said in a low voice. "You remember that? I told you I had my suspicions. We planned to have a life together. _A family. _But you left because you were a _coward_."

He looked genuinely pained by that and seemed unable to come up with a response. He took a step forward and reached for her. "Emma, I-"

"_Get me out of these bloody ropes,_" a voice hissed behind them. Emma turned around and saw that Hook was now glaring at Neal with a murderous expression on his face, struggling out of the grips of Jefferson and Victor who immediately ran over to hold him back.

Emma turned back to Neal, who was still staring at her with a sorrowful expression, apparently uncaring of the now-vehement pirate he seemed to have hated earlier.

"You heard Jones," she said in a low voice. "Get him out of those ropes."

* * *

Emma had to restrain Hook and Graham from lunging at Neal at least three times after their bindings were cut.

As well, it took another heated argument for Neal to listen to Emma's demand that Hook and Graham _not _be sent to the dungeons, and another loud shouting match when Neal grabbed her by the wrists and dragged her into a room, where "they could speak in private". The last quarrel involved her persuading Graham and Hook that she could handle Neal by herself; that she could find out what the fuck was happening around here, though privately another reason she agreed to talk to him alone was because she_ really_ didn't Hook and Graham to hear any more about her and Neal's past (since clearly, Neal was definitely going to bring it up again). Briefly, Emma wondered whether Neal really was this Black Fairy (she snorted - highly unlikely, but it was a funny thought), or if he wasn't, then whether the witch could hear their voices echoing throughout the castle_. And also what his fucking relation to her is_, she thought through gritted teeth. But those questions were quickly pushed out of her mind when Neal gently nudged her towards a rather luxurious-looking couch, assuring her that Hook and Graham will get their own rooms that were _not _dirty prisons. Feeling that she pretty much didn't have a choice at this point (becausetechnically, they _were_ being held captive at the Black Fairy's castle), she crossed her arms and glared at Neal, who took a seat across from her. _Oh yes_, he had a _lot _of explaining to do.

He grinned sheepishly at her. "You look really great, Ems-"

"Quit the bullshit, Neal," she snapped, narrowing her eyes at him. "You wanna talk in private? _Then talk._"

"Right," Neal agreed. He let out a long breath. "Okay, before I tell you anything about why you're here, I want you to know something. About why I… left."

Emma let out an irritated sigh. "Neal, I said I don't want to hear it. I don't _care_ anymore. It has been ten years-"

"I panicked when you told me you were pregnant, okay?!" Neal blurted out, eyes pleading with her. "I'll admit - I was scared. I was scared I was going to be like my father - some worthless guy who can't take care of a kid. But Emma, you _have_ to know that's not the reason why I left."

"Then why _did _you leave?" Emma asked, cursing inwardly at how shaky her voice sounded. _God _how she hated how broken and vulnerable he made her sound, even after all these years.

Neal hesitated for a moment. "I… was on my way to meet up with you," he said. "But then I ran into someone - a man. He told me that he knew you; that you were in trouble or injured or something, so naturally I followed him when he asked me to." He let out a humorless chuckle. "Turns out he was lying - that you weren't in trouble at all, but that he needed an excuse to stop me from meeting up with you. Of course, I told him to fuck off but he insisted he knew you. And Ems, I only stayed to listen because he wasn't lying on this one. He started naming all this shit from your past: that orphanage you went to, the houses you took shelter in after it burned down… Hell, he even knew about that time you pretended to be a guy so you could work as a fisherman for that Prince Eric-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down," Emma interrupted him, holding a hand up."And just who the hell is this guy?" _And how does he know so much about me? _she added in her thoughts with a deep frown.

Neal glanced at the door behind her warily, as if reluctant to disclose the mysterious man's identity.

"It was... August," he finally replied after a hesitant pause.

"_August?!" _Emma repeated in disbelief. "How-"

"He told me that I was only preventing you from fulfilling your destiny," Neal explained quickly before she could speak any further. "That there was a prophecy or a prediction saying that you were going to do something great. Something important. Be a hero." This time, Neal let out a genuine laugh and grinned at her. "And I get it now! Ems, don't you see? He was right! _This _is meant to be: you being here, as the Bounty Hunter, so that you can find the Destroyer and save the Enchanted Forest-"

"_August _was the one who told you not to meet me?" Emma was now standing, looking at Neal in disbelief. "Because he knew something about my _future?" _She took a step forward and pointed angrily towards the door. "_I don't even know August - _I just _met_ the fucking bastard today!"

"I-I thought you did know each other. He was pretty convincing, Ems, and all that stuff about me preventing you from fulfilling your destiny - from being something great? He got to me, Emma. I couldn't get in the way of that. I couldn't."

"So you left me because this _August_ guy told you to," Emma reiterated in a hollow voice. "Because I had a destiny to fulfill."

Neal nodded and scratched the back of his head, giving her a small smile. "I wanted to give you your best chance."

She gaped at him, eyes widening in utter disbelief. "My _best-" S_he ran a frustrated hand through her hair, trying hard to resist the temptation to pull all of it out of her. _What the hell is going on? _Who the hell was August? And why was he telling Neal all of this? How much does he really know about her? And most of all, why did Neal…

"This doesn't make sense," she voiced her thoughts. "This strange guy - _August_ - claims he knows me, tells you all this crap about my past and then pulls out some 'destiny hero' story out of nowhere… And you _believed_ everything he told you? Because you wanted to give me my_ best chance…_"She lifted her eyes and glared at him. "I call bullshit, Neal. You may be telling the truth but you're keeping something out. Okay, so maybe you really did believe August was telling the truth. But that's not the main reason why you left - he told you something _else_ to convince you. To _really _make you leave." She narrowed her eyes at him. "_What was it?"_

Eyes determined and glued to hers firmly, he opened his mouth to respond, but seemed to have an internal struggle with himself. Finally, he looked away and gritted his teeth, seemingly frustrated with disclose with her whatever August had told him.

"He… knew who I was," he finally said. And before she could even ask, he added, "Who I _really_ am."

Although Neal was pointedly avoiding eye contact, Emma knew that what he was saying was the truth. Because what else could explain what was going on? The fact that he listened to August, a complete stranger who claimed ridiculous things about her; the fact that he even went so far as to run out of her life for good because of it; and now, the fact that he was _here_, somehow working _with_ or _for_ the Black Fairy…

Suddenly, a wave of memories from ten years ago rushed through her mind: Neal, not wanting to talk about his childhood or past whenever she'd ask; Neal, always on the run from_ something_, from_ someone_; Neal, always jumpy and paranoid whenever they traveled openly on the streets, insisting they take darker, alternate routes when they'd reach the borders of a kingdom, as if he was hiding from something, from _someone…_

It only made sense: Neal wasn't… '_Neal'_.

Perhaps it slipped by her when she was with him, still a young, naïve girl in love. But years of experience as a bounty hunter chasing after those who don't want to be found has trained her eye to know a fake identity when she saw one. And so when he said those words, all the pieces suddenly fell together - how he acted in their past, the story with August, why he left her, weaved in with the mysterious fact he's here in the _Black Fairy's _castle…

_'Neal - what kind of name is that? That doesn't sound like a name from the Enchanted Forest.'_

Emma felt sick to her stomach. _God, _how stupid could she have been? He lied. He lied to her. He lied about_ everything. _The entire time they were together, _he was lying._

Trying to pull herself together, she slowly lifted her gaze towards him, keeping her face straight. "Then… who are you?"

He hesitated again, then finally looked back at her in the eyes. "Baelfire," he said. "That's my real name."

"Baelfire?" she repeated. Why did the name sound so familiar…

Then she remembered - _Hook_. He had called Neal that when he first noticed him, as they apparently knew each other. So that meant that Hook was aware of who Neal really was, and this August guy did as well…

"Emma, I'm sorry I never told you," Neal apologized, sensing the dark change in her mood. "I guess I was scared. I was a coward. I didn't want anyone to know who I really was, so I changed my name. But you've got to understand - when August told me he knew my real name was Baelfire, I _freaked _out. I couldn't let that get out -"

"_Why?_ What was it about your real identity that made you choose to listen to this stranger and _abandon _me forever?!"

"He threatened to tell my dad, Emma!" Neal yelled, holding out his arms to her as if begging her to see his perspective. "You don't know my father! He abandoned me for a- for a…" he trailed off, face scrunched in frustration, but then managed to look back up to her. "You don't know him. He's crazy; he's dangerous.. he's… he's..."

"He's _what_, Neal? Enlighten me, because clearly there's a lot of _crap _I don't know about you!"

"He's the Dark One," he replied quietly, closing his eyes in frustration. "Rumpelstiltskin."

She stared at him, completely stunned. "Your father… is _Rumpelstiltskin?_"

When he nodded slowly as a reply, Emma felt like wringing something due to her bewilderment and mixture of emotions within her. Neal - or Baelfire, whatever the hell his real name is - was Rumpelstiltskin's son. _Rumpelstiltskin_, who was known widely as the Dark One. The man claimed by legends to be half-man, half-demon due to the gruesome crimes he committed - the countless people he murdered; the blood he shed out of pure anger and hatred, or simply because they did not fulfill their end of a 'deal' with him. Rumpelstiltskin, the Dark One, who was known to show no mercy, no compassion, not a drop of sympathy, no love.

But apparently, he had a son. A son who turned out to be her first love, she thought with a sickening feeling. She didn't even know the Dark One even had a _son,_ let alone was capable of even having one. But then again, she only heard about him through word of mouth - from bartenders who liked to gossip; from Graham when he'd pick up the latest news from a nearby town; from Hook, who hated the Dark One with a fearful passion that chilled her bones whenever she'd see a glimpse of it; Hook, who told her that the Dark One was in another kingdom, and that he happened to be the very one who taught the Bl...

_Wait a second. _

Emma snapped her head towards Neal. "This- this is the Dark Castle, isn't it?"

Neal nodded slowly, eyeing her warily as if unsure as to why she was speaking so calmly.

Emma paced around slowly, thinking. _The Dark One used to live here, which means... _"August and those two guys - Hook said they work for the Black Fairy. Which means she's here, isn't she?"

He glanced behind her before nodding again. "Emma... What are you-"

"And you're their 'Boss', which means they work for you, too." Emma stopped pacing and was now facing him with a guarded expression on her face. _The Dark One used to live here; Neal is his son; the Black Fairy was the Dark One's student.._

"You're not working for the Black Fairy," Emma concluded quietly. "You're working _with _her."

At her words, Neal became completely still, staring back at her. She took a step towards him, still maintaining her calmness.

"Why are you working with her, Neal?"

Neal visibly tensed at her movements, clenching his fist. He glanced at the door again before looking back at her. "Emma..." he began warningly when she didn't stop walking in his direction.

"I said," she repeated in a dangerously low voice, now face to face with him. "_Why are you working with her?"_

She saw it before she heard it: a twitch of a muscle, the quickest glance, the subtlest movement. But Emma was too quick for him - before Neal could even move a muscle or yell out an order, Emma withdrew the dagger from her sleeve and quickly turned around to whip her weapon towards the guard that had burst into the room. Neal tried hard not to gape at the sight of the now-screaming guard's bloody hand, which was literally pinned to the tapestry on the wall behind him.

Emma scoffed before turning back to Neal, ignoring the guard's gasps. "You were always underestimating my skills, Neal. You think I wouldn't have noticed the two guards hiding in the corner, plus the other two waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs in case I decided to put up a fight? You weren't even _trying _to be subtle when you kept looking at the damn door. Do you really think I'm that stupid?" She gave him a hard look. "There's a reason why they call me the _notorious_ Bounty Hunter."

She took a step closer to him, allowing herself to be smugly satisfied when he stepped back in response. "Now I'm going to ask you one last time, Neal, and if you even try to snake your way out this even _once_, I'll make what I did to that guard look like a fucking feather tickle. So no more conversations about our past, no more bullshit, and don't even _try _to fight me." She glanced his clenched fist. "Because let's face it - you're weaponless and unequipped, which is why you have those poor excuses of guards always stuck with you. And well," she smirked. "We both remember how much you hate swordfight."

"Emma, just calm do-" he began, but Emma wasn't going to have any of it.

She glared at him. "_No_, Neal! You tell me right now what the _fuck _is going on!" Her fingers trembled with anger as she pointed at his chest. "Why are you working with the Black Fairy?! _Why am I here?!"_

He flinched at her raised voice and looked away. "She's… my fiancée.

Her jaw dropped. Well, she wasn't expecting that. "_Your what-?!"_

"My fiancée," he repeated, looking back at her. "After I... Ah, you know-" he let out a cough. "-_left_, I ran into August again a few weeks later. I told him I was looking for a way to make money and he said he knew just the place, and it turned out Tamara was the one hiring. She was looking for some thieves-"

"Tamara?"

"That's what she calls herself now," Neal explained, dismissing it with a wave of his hand. "Anyways, she was staying here at my dad's old castle – the one he used after he became the Dark One – because she came here to look for him when he suddenly disappeared several years ago-"

"Stop right there," Emma interrupted, holding a hand up. "You mean to tell me that you're the Dark One's _son_ _and_ you're engaged to his _student_?!"

Neal looked stunned by her words. "Wait, _what_? How did you know she was his student- _whoa, whoa, _easy, Emma - put the dagger down!" He held his hands up defensively and quickly backed away from Emma, who had now pointed her weapon menacingly at him.

"Listen, you don't know the whole story. It's not as bad as it sounds," Neal reasoned, still eyeing her dagger cautiously. "Yes, she was one of my dad's students, but he taught her magic _before _he became the Dark One. Back in Neverland, where we used to live." He gave her a small smile. "Don't believe the rumours, Ems. She's a good person. We get along. We _understand_ each other, you know? Like she could understand why I didn't want anything to do with my dad, and I get why she's angry most of the time. It's tough, you know, being known as the _Black Fairy _like she's all evil and shit when she's really not-"

"She murdered Hook's first mate," Emma seethed. "She tried to kill Hook. She tried to kill your-your _father_, from what I've heard, and oh wait, I almost forgot – _she almost killed me and my friends." _She pointed the dagger at his face accusingly. "And you're saying she's not _evil_?"

"_What?_ She didn't kill Smee! She wouldn't! He's still alive. And she only went after Hook because he stole from her and plus, she wasn't trying to _murder_ my dad – she was trying to destroy the Dark One inside of him!" He gave Emma a dark look. "He wasn't always the Dark One, Emma, he only became that stupid thing after Hook killed my…" Neal looked away in frustration. "Look, the only reason why we sent those guys after you like that was because of what you did the last time we tried to contact you for business. If I knew that _you _were the Bounty Hunter, then I would've made sure no harm would've come to you or your friends, all right?

She lowered the dagger from his face. "What do you mean, '_the last time'_?"

"Jiminy – we sent him to make a deal with you, but you refused his offer and killed him."

"What? That's impossible – I don't remember that. Plus, I may be violent but I don't _kill _just like that, Neal. That's not my thing."

"Well that's what I heard," Neal replied in a disbelieving tone, glancing at the bleeding guard behind her pointedly.

Emma shook her head – _whatever_. She'll deal with that later. "So what do you need _me_ for, then?"

"Tamara said to me that she heard from my dad that there was going to be a Destroyer – someone who was planning to obliterate the entire Enchanted Forest with a Dark Curse." He gave her a serious look. "It was prophesized by the Eye."

_The Eye. _Emma has heard of the legends surrounding it - it supposedly belonged to an ancient Seer who was able to prophesize the future and that every prediction she gave always came true. There was no exception – once the Seer gives a prophecy concerning you, then that will be your fate. Emma used to think it was simply a legend - just something the old maids and drunk men like to cackle about around campfires and bars - but throughout her experience as a bounty hunter, travelling around has led her to a great deal of many stories, many of them involving this so-called '_Eye'_ successfully predicting a lot of things that had happened throughout the Enchanted Forest's history...

Suddenly, Emma felt a sinking feeling. If the Eye prophesized something like that, and Neal - the '_Boss' _- sent men on the hunt for _her..._

"And," Emma said quietly, a dark feeling growing inside of her at the looming possibility of what the answer may be. "What did the Eye say that has to do with me?"

"That there is one Saviour that can destroy the Destroyer, and only _one person_ can find that Saviour."

He looked at her straight in the eye and this time, Emma didn't even have to ask. She already knew.

"_The Bounty Hunter."_

* * *

**A/N: **Oh Killian & Graham, so protective.

Also, Tamara being the Black Fairy was an accident - it sorta just… _happened_ while I was writing haha :)

As a writer who is a Person of Color (POC) herself, I believe that POCs (esp. women) are terribly misrepresented _and _underrepresented in Western literature. I'm sick & tired of POCs often being the one-dimensional, evil villains in fantasy stories & shows. So believe me when I say that there is a _great_ reason for her name (i.e._'Black'_ Fairy - which has nothing to do with any physical/evil traits, by the way ahah, though ironic), which I hope most of you will find interesting :) Even though Tamara/the B.F is technically an antagonist in this story (because she was one in the show), she will have a very fleshed-out character. In the show, there are a lot of unanswered questions about Tamara's character & motives so I have some things planned for her… ;)

(As Adam & Eddy said, no character in OUAT is all-good, nor all-evil. I love that! So human.)

A friendly reminder that this is a **Captain Swan **fanfic, so obviously this fic focuses more heavily on our two favorite characters. That said, next chapter we see some **Emma & Killian alone** **time… ;)**

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR REVIEWS! I love love love you all so much. It makes me happy to see my readers happy :)


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: **This chapter will clarify a bunch of things going on. Enjoy Captain Swan, heheh….

_Reply to 'Anonymous136'_: Yeah, I definitely agree Neal deserves a broken nose… ;)

_Neko: _Hehe thanks :) hopefully you'll enjoy this one as well!

_Girlwithataser_: Haha, no Tamara and Neal aren't pregnant. But we'll find out soon why she's with Neal & what's up her sleeves :)

Thank you all for your reviews/favorites/follows! And for being patient too - I'm sorry for the wait! School and all that. But yay here's another chapter :)

**_Enjoy CS..._**

* * *

It has been twenty minutes and she was still pacing around her given room.

'_If there's one thing I know about you, it's that you don't stop until you find what you're looking for._'

She wanted to punch Neal's face when he said that. Why her? Why does _she _have to be this person to find the 'Saviour'? Why the hell couldn't the Eye have picked another bounty hunter?

'_What August told me makes sense now, Ems. This is your Destiny - this is Fate! You're going to be a hero if you do this.'_

Oh, right. Because it was her _destiny - _one of the reasons why Neal left her, according to him. _Her best chance_. And apparently, since the Eye prophesized it, she can't even escape from it.

Emma stopped walking and bent all the way to the ground, breathing in slowly. _This is all a shitload of crap_. She didn't know how much more she could take. She didn't want any of this. She didn't ask for _any_ of this. How many more mysteries were going to slap her in the face? First, the explanation of why Neal left her - and she knew for a fact that his '_best chance' _reason was only half-bullshit. He only wanted to escape from being discovered that he's the Dark One's son. And _God, _the fact that _Neal_ - or Bazelfire, whoever the hell he is - is the _Dark One's son_…

Trying to keep herself calm and rational, she sat down on the floor and slowly let out a breath, processing what Neal told her. So August told Neal that Emma was going to do something 'great', and Neal thinks this '_Destiny_' was that she was to find the Saviour who will "destroy the Destroyer", thus saving the entire Enchanted Forest, which was why he and the Black Fairy sent those three idiots chasing after her... And apparently they resorted to violent methods because _Emma _supposedly 'killed' the last guy they sent…

She shook her head - Neal seemed to be telling the truth, and it _almost _made sense. But it didn't. Something wasn't adding up. Neal, the Dark One's son _and _the fiancé of the Black Fairy - two supposedly fearsome, evil sorcerers? And why was this Black Fairy even _with _a guy like Neal? Maybe she thought he was as dark as his father and found that alluring? Or maybe Neal really _is _just like his father, and he was evil too…

(She let out a snort at that one - he may be a thief at most, but he was as soft as the next pillow)

Whatever. Neal also said they - as in him _and _the Black Fairy - wanted _her_ to help save the Enchanted Forest from this… Destroyer. Hook made it seem like the Black Fairy was as evil as Cora and the Dark One themselves - why would _she_ want to _save _the Enchanted Forest? _Aren't evil people supposed to, I don't know, be the ones destroying? _she thought to herself. Not stopping them?

Emma buried her face in her arms, still seated on the ground. To both her and Neal's surprise, she said she would think about it; that she would consider taking up this business deal and actually talk with the Black Fairy herself, after the fairy returns from her 'trip', or whatever Neal said. Emma felt a little bit safer with talking to the Black Fairy, knowing that Neal, her supposed 'fiancé', would be around the castle. So perhaps the witch will be less, erm, _witch-y_, hopefully, and they can discuss this so-called 'Saviour' and their whereabouts, and Emma will _consider_ finding him/her. '_But only because it was prophesized by the Eye'_, she had told Neal firmly after she agreed. If it were otherwise, he'd be knocked out and she'd be out of here.

'_Just think it through, Emma. It's the Eye, and as August said, it's your Destiny. Something great - didn't you used to say you've always wanted to do that?'_

She slumped to the ground.

_Yes_,_ but not something as ridiculous as_ this.

* * *

She was standing at his door.

Well, the door to the room Neal threw him in. She was surprised that Neal actually kept to his word and didn't throw Hook and Graham into the dungeons and gave them actual separate rooms. But from the looks of the dingy atmosphere and worn-out, chained wooden doors, Neal was clearly making a point as to exactly how he felt about the pirate and the protective huntsman, making sure they stayed in something that looked the closest to a dungeon.

She lifted a hand to insert the keys she'd stolen before hesitating. _What are you doing, Emma? _Usually when she couldn't sleep at night or was having worried thoughts or had questions that needed answering, she'd turn to Graham. He always knew what to do or say. But her feet seemed to have walked on their own accord as she ended up in front of _this_ door, instead of the one on the right where Graham was staying.

_Screw it_. Taking a deep breath, she removed all thoughts of walking away and opened the door.

What she saw when she opened the door was _not _what she was expecting at all. In fact, while she didn't expect Hook to be sleeping soundly due to their current situation, she thought he would have been moping in the corner or attempting to escape through a window or_ something_. She definitely didn't expect him to, well, be like _this_.

Hook was standing beside a small fireplace with his back turned to her, but that wasn't what caught her off-guard. In fact, Hook was unmistakably completely _shirtless_. The articles of clothing he hung on a chair near the fireplace hinted that he was drying his clothes, perhaps. Before she could stop herself, her eyes roamed around his muscled back, examining it - she could make out the faint glow of his skin from the light of the fire, along with the traces of white scars littered across his back. _Whiplashes, _she thought with a shudder. Scars that only a pirate would have as punishment for deeds only a pirate would do.

She didn't know how long she had been standing there staring, but before she could shut the door and make a run for it, Hook had already turned around and looked at her in alarm.

"Swan," he said in surprise. "How did you -"

"Knocked out all the guards," Emma replied quickly, suddenly interested in the ring of keys in her hand. _So much for making a run for it._

An brief awkward pause followed, and Emma found herself feeling more and more uncomfortable. Hook was still devoid of any clothing from the torso up and the fact that he was completely facing her now, allowing her a full view of his body, definitely didn't help. Clearly the pirate didn't seem to find his shirtless situation to be as much of a problem as she did, as he was now watching her shamelessly and intently - most likely trying to figure out the reason why she was there.

Still looking _everywhere _but him, she made to turn for the door. "Right. You must be busy. I'm just going to go now-"

"What_?_ Swan!"

He quickly strode across the room and grabbed her by the wrist. "You don't just barge into here like it's nothing then _leave_. What happened? Did Baelfire-"

_Mother. Fucking. Hell. _As soon as Hook touched her, Emma whipped around and did exactly what she was avoiding to do in the first place: _she looked at him._ Him, as in Captain Killian 'Hook' Jones, standing right in front of her and holding her wrist_, still _lacking a shirt_. _Nope. _Nope, nope, nope. _Emma Swan was _not _going to get flustered by this man _again. _Certainly not now - not in the Dark Castle where there are _other _things to be panicking about.

Not now. Not ever.

But even the ever-so-well-guarded Bounty Hunter couldn't control the automatic response of her body, as she could feel the heat rising up to her cheeks despite herself. The panic must have been apparent in her eyes as Hook looked at her in concern.

"Emma-?"

"_Just put a shirt on, will you?!" _she eventually snapped, yanking her hand away from his and averting her gaze.

He looked taken aback by her outburst but upon noticing the red tint forming on her cheeks, a wide knowing grin slowly spread across his face.

"Why, Swan," Hook said in a voice too husky for her liking. "Does the sight of my body _bother _you?"

Emma simply glared at the ceiling, as if the expression would bounce off of it and hit him.

"_Or,_" Hook breathed, now leaning in to whisper in her ear. "_Perhaps you like what you see?_"

A jab to his stomach sufficed as a response from her and before she could change her mind, she quickly moved past him as he doubled over and walked into the room. The room seemed even more unnaturally warm than earlier and she was quick to mentally blame the heat taking over her body on the fire. After grumbling an '_every single bloody time'_, Hook closed the door and walked back to the chair where his clothes lay.

Still determined not to look at him, Emma walked towards the bed to sit (_'Nope, nope - not the bed, Emma'_), before deciding that standing facing the wall was the better option.

"This is… nice," she commented as she looked around the small room - a poor attempt to cover up her embarrassment from earlier. "I'm still surprised he didn't throw you guys to the dungeons."

She could hear his movements as he pulled a shirt over his head. "Aye, we share the sentiment in that, love. And I suppose yours is much better?"

"Meh, I have curtains," she replied with a shrug. "Benefits of having a guilty ex holding you in a castle against your own wishes."

A long silence followed her lame attempt at humour, the only sound being the crackling of fire and Hook's movements. Eventually she heard a _click_, which could only mean that the pirate had put his hook on. Still, Hook remained silent, and while she was initially grateful for the lack of innuendos, she began to wonder what he was thinking. That, and the main reason she came here were to get some questions answered. So after an internal battle with herself, Emma finally turned around to face him.

"_So,_" they said in unison. They looked at each other in surprise, then laughed.

"You go first," Emma said, bending down to sit on the floor.

The smile slowly disappeared from his face as he paused at her words, studying her. "Something wrong, Swan?" And before she could open her mouth, he added, "And don't even _attempt_ at making any bloody excuses. We both know you're not here to storm us out of the castle, love."

She looked away. "It's about… Neal."

"Baelfire?" Hook raised his eyebrows. He knew that must be the reason she was here, as the lass did speak with Baelfire privately earlier. But why would she seek _him _instead of the huntsman, if it were to talk about her troubles with her former lover?

She visibly stiffened at the name, which would have confused Hook until he remembered that Baelfire mentioned something about now being called '_Neal'_.

He looked away. "Is this type of topic not something you should be speaking to the huntsman about?" Hook muttered, not bothering to hide his frown when mentioning Graham.

Emma raised an eyebrow questioningly at the distasteful tone in his voice. "What? Graham doesn't know Neal or the Black Fairy. You do, so I thought you'd have some answers."

_Well then. _Hook drifted his gaze back to hers. Before he could ask any further, however, Emma began spilling out her conversation with Neal: something about an 'August' and a 'Destiny', and a prophecy made by the Eye, and her bewilderment at Baelfire's relation to the Dark One…

"She's Bael-his _wife-to-be?!_" Hook exclaimed, utterly bewildered by her news. "And she wants _you _to find this... _Saviour_ so the Enchanted Forest can be saved? The woman has been bloody vindictive for _centuries_ - suddenly she's being valiant? And _engaged _to the bloody Dark One's _son_?!"

Emma nodded slowly. "Yeah, that's what I thought, too... Well, from what you told me."

"Indeed..." Hook paced back and forth in front of Emma, thinking. Cora was going to have his head if she finds out the Black Fairy had already captivated them - _especially_ with this news that the Black Fairy was seeking the Bounty Hunter to do such a task. From what Emma told him, the 'Dark Curse' to be prevented sounded eerily similar to that cast by Cora on the White Kingdom. For all he knew, perhaps the Black Fairy was interested in breaking the curse on the White Kingdom... Hook stopped, a sudden thought occurring to him. _Or actually, perhaps she wanted to…_

"_Hello_? Any ideas as to what the Black Fairy's plans are?" Emma called out to him; a hint of impatience in her voice. "Jones? Should I be afraid or get ready for a fight or what? Because while I'm not so keen on the Enchanted Forest being obliterated by a curse, I'm also not looking forward to being a fucking pawn to saving it."

Hook chuckled at her swearing. "You've got a pirate's mouth, I'll give you that." Then he paused to give her a serious look. "But yes, while the Black Fairy's so-called 'plan' seems rather unusual, you will be surprised to know that it's actually not quite all that… _uncharacteristic_."

Emma looked at him in confusion. "What do you mean?"

He let out a long sigh. "Two things, love." He gestured towards the space on the floor beside her. "May I?"

She shrugged nonchalantly. "Your prison."

"Firstly," Hook began as he lowered himself to sit next to her. "As resentful as the witch may be, the Black Fairy had her likable traits. As a matter of fact, during the short-lived days we _were _on good terms, she saved my life." He gave a tight-lipped smile at the surprised look on Emma's face. "Aye, you heard correctly, lass. Twice she helped me escape Neverland, sparing me my life. So I suppose if you were take those two incidents into account, I'd say a plan to _save_ the Enchanted Forest is not be so much of a shock if you knew how she was back then."

Emma considered his words for a moment. "Yeah… Neal did keep on saying that she's not '_all that bad'_. But I've never seen the 'Black Fairy' before or even _heard _of her, so I couldn't judge…" She looked back at Hook. "So you think she actually wants me to find this Savior to stop this curse? Actually, wait - maybe it's not exactly to save the Enchanted Forest," she added with an afterthought. "But maybe to save her own skin, since she lives here now?

"_Ah_, that leads to the _second _thing," Hook said. "You see, the Black Fairy was not always '_the Black Fairy_'. I am not aware of the entire story, but I do know that she once was a fairy who, for some reason, ended up in Neverland. '_Exiled from her kind'_, was the reason most rumors say, which would make perfect sense considering her tendency for heavy brooding.

I have told you before that I planned to procure from her a poison - _Dreamshade_, is what it's called - and that instead of aiding me in our similar goal to stop the Dark One, she attempted to take my ship. Alas, it was then I realized she let her negativity take over her." Hook looked to the ground, a melancholic look on his face. "She used to be an innocent and carefree one, that lass. Hardly imaginable now that she has the title of the 'Black Fairy', but she had the naïve brain of a child. She often spoke excitedly of a 'grand plan' she had - something to do with winning something. Or getting something back. I forget, but as time went on, that optimistic attitude completely changed into something darker and more cynical altogether. Soon she became unnaturally obsessed with this 'grand plan' of hers, making it her entire life."

"'_Exiled from her kind'; 'a grand plan'…_" Emma repeated to herself. She gave him an unimpressed look. "Let me guess - she wanted revenge for whoever threw her into Neverland."

Hook grinned at her. "That is _precisely _what I thought as well. Excellent analysis as usual, Swan."

She rolled her eyes at the compliment but allowed herself a small smile. "'Obsession over revenge_'_… Why does this sound so familiar," she mused, glancing at him pointedly.

The grin quickly slipped off Hook's face. "As I was saying," he continued in a louder voice, ignoring her comment. "I do believe she attempted to steal my ship in order to escape Neverland so that she may carry out whatever plan she had. Out of desperation, I would gather. Hence this is the second possibility: this entire expedition she has planned for you to do is all part of her '_grand plan'. _Her revenge. Whether it be stopping the Curse so that she may carry it out, _or_ preventing the Saviour from doing so - _if_ the Curse just so happens to be _her _plan. I am positive the latter is the reason she went through such dramatic lengths to get you here." He let out a long sigh. "Whichever is the true case is something we shall figure out soon, I suppose. I assume you will be talking with her tomorrow morning?"

Emma raised her eyebrows in surprise. "How did you know?"

"You're the not the only one here who can sneak around, love," Hook said with a wink. He took out a small pin from his pocket and held it out for her to see. She rolled her eyes after peering at the lock pick - _pirate, indeed._

"How much did you hear?" she asked quietly, suddenly feeling tense.

"Only the end. When you said you'd speak with the Black Fairy - that part."

The knot in her stomach relaxed at his words - she wasn't sure how comfortable she'd be with Hook knowing her and Neal's entire conversation.

Soon, silence followed, and Emma pondered briefly on all that Hook had told her. She decided that it would be pointless to ruminate too much on the subject any further - the Black Fairy definitely wanted and needed her, so tomorrow she can use that to her advantage and figure out what exactly was up the former fairy's sleeve. Emma wrapped her arms around her legs, hugging it closer to her chest as she stared distantly into the fireplace. Her main reason for coming to Hook's room was over and done with - she got some answers about the Black Fairy, enough to make her feel more confident with meeting her tomorrow. But with all that Neal had told her, combined with Hook's recollection of his past with the Black Fairy_,_ amongst_ other_ things she'd notice when they first arrived here, there were so many _other_ questions she was burning to ask…

Breaking the silence, she cleared her throat, causing Hook to jolt abruptly in alarm in such a comical way, Emma had to restrain her laughter.

"Neal," she said when Hook raised an eyebrow, frowning at her amusement. "He… said something about the Black Fairy being Rumpelstiltskin's student _before _he became the Dark One."

Before replying, Hook gave her a measured look, as if unsure as to why she was mentioning this. "Aye, it is true… But that doesn't cancel out any of their transgressions - the Crocodile was always an avid fan of magic and power. Dark magic shouldn't be an exception in their little teaching sessions. However," Hook added with an afterthought. "Now that I recall, the Black Fairy seemed to only have taken a greater interest in Dark magic _after_ the Crocodile became the Dark One."

"So…" Emma said, looking away from him. "Like the Black Fairy, he wasn't always who he is today? The Dark One?"

The careful look on Hook's face was back as his eyes watched her warily. "Aye…"

Keeping her face as straight as possible, Emma picked a lint off the floor, avoiding his gaze. "And how did he… become the Dark One?"

_And there it is_. She could see Hook's silhouette beside her stiffen at her question, the reaction she knew she'd get. From what she gathered earlier, it was a touchy subject (_but then again, everything to do with the Dark One was touchy with Hook_), but she couldn't help but wonder what role Hook played in that after witnessing to Neal and Hook's exchange.

Hook suddenly stood up and walked towards a tattered-looking cabinet; his back facing her. "A spell. A dagger. The usual sort of thing," he replied flatly. He turned his head slightly to look at her. "Why, do you plan on following his footsteps, Swan?"

In another day and time, she would roll her eyes but she knew he was only trying to hide his reaction with humour. "There must be a reason he became the Dark One," she pressed on. She didn't fail to see his body still itself once again, which only made her all the more insistent.

"Why _did_ he become the Dark One?"

Hook whipped his head towards her, a dangerous gleam flashing through his eyes. "And _why, _pray tell me, are you asking me all of these-"

"Neal said something about _you_ being the reason his dad became the Dark One." Emma was standing now, facing him with a hard look on her face. "About you _killing_ someone. So I want to know right now, Jones - is it true? Because if Neal was right- that you're dangerous and caused the whole 'Dark One' thing - then…" She crossed her arms, looking at him in the eye. "Then I don't know if I can trust you anymore."

She couldn't hide the hint of betrayal in her voice - something Hook was quick to catch, as the anger in his eyes subsided. She didn't know why she felt a little hurt or betrayed by it at all. It wasn't like Hook lied to her or hid it from her, as such a topic wasn't exactly significant enough to be delved into deeper during their conversations. And even if it _was_ true, it certainly wouldn't be the first time she did business with or was affiliated with a murderer or a former one.

But the fact was: she was actually just beginning to trust him. Hell, she even _liked_ him. There was definitely something good between the two of them: he understood her; read her like a book, as he often liked to point out. It was so refreshing and such a relief to _finally_ have someone who didn't simply sympathize with her, but downright, straight-to-the-core _understood_ her. So, perhaps the reason she felt a _little _betrayed was that if he really was the reason for the Dark One becoming who he is, then it may just invalidate the connection she thought they had. He wouldn't be someone who was also abandoned; someone who was also deprived of a loved one because someone else took them away from him - he'd just be a murderer. Sure, Hook was a pirate and wasn't exactly pure of heart. He probably took some lives before, for all she knew. But if he was someone _dark_ enough to make another man _become _the Dark One - what _could_ she believe, if that were the case? What is she to think?

"Your former lover has a knack for painting unfavorable pictures of me, Swan," Hook finally mumbled after a long pause, looking away from her.

"So are you saying Neal is lying?"

"I said neither true nor false," Hook snapped, glaring at the wall beside the fireplace. He hesitated before continuing. "But I will tell you this: Baelfire... has the right to hate me."

The fact that Hook didn't even try to conceal the brokenness in his voice threw Emma off-guard. _There it is again - _the same pain in his eyes that was there when he first saw Neal in the castle courtyard. There was remorse there, _regret…_

"What happened between you and… Baelfire?"

He stiffened at the name, and abruptly turned away from her. "Nothing of your concern."

"He looked like he wanted to kill you, but you kept staring at him sadly," Emma pressed on. "I just want to know -"

"Well, you don't _have _to know, so _leave it," _Hook hissed in a low voice.

Unaffected, she took a step towards him. "_Why? _Why can't you tell me why he hates you so much?"

"_Leave it_, Swan."

"Did you have a feud back then and it was unresolved -"

"I said _leave it _-"

"Or is it because what he said was true -"

"_Bloody hell, Swan - Yes!" _Hook suddenly roared, spinning around to face her. "Yes it's true, all right?! I killed his uncle and made his father so furious that he became the Dark One, and _gods _- the lad has every single right to despise every fiber of my being!"

A silence filled the room as Hook ran his fingers through his hair in frustration, looking at the ground with such a remorseful, painful expression; a look on his face so uncharacteristic of the usually smug, confident pirate she was used to, that Emma didn't know what to say. She simply stood there in shock, watching him wordlessly; his admission still echoing in the room.

"But you don't know the whole story," Hook said quietly, looking back at her. "So don't think for one moment I am as dark as _him_."

She shifted - _reading her once again_.

Immensely tired and defeated, he sat down on the chair. "I told you - I was a Lieutenant of the Navy," he said. "My brother, Liam, was my Captain. We were sent on a mission by our King to travel to another land, but we became lost through a portal and fell into Neverland instead. That was the first time I stepped onto that land, and where I first met the Black Fairy. In fact, _she_ was the one who found and welcomed us, and was the one who brought us to _them_."

A dark look passed by Hook's face. "The Lost Boys - that was what they called themselves. They even had a leader - a young lad by the name of Peter Pan. He was an obnoxious little git who took pleasure in playing these nasty little pranks and games with us, but I was only three or four years his senior then. I played along.

Time passed - if such a thing was possible for a timeless place like Neverland. Liam and I, both still young and vulnerable, eventually succumbed to Neverland's effects. We slowly forgot our mission the longer we stayed. So we continued the little games of swordplay and rivalry and so-called 'adventures' with Pan and his gang of children, until one day, _another_ visitor fell into Neverland."

He let out a dark chuckle. "The bloody Crocodile himself, along with his then-very young lad, Baelfire. The Crocodile approached Pan, claiming that Pan was his younger brother and that he'd come to save him and bring him home. Unfortunately Pan seemed to not know who Rumpelstiltskin was and thought he was lying - after all, he looked too old to be his brother. So Rumpelstiltskin stayed for a while on the island, trying to persuade Pan, until he eventually decided to halt the direct confrontation and resort to different methods. During the times Pan refused to speak to him was when he began to teach the Black Fairy his magic tricks."

Hook lowered his eyes to the ground, a dead look in his eyes as he spoke. "One day, Pan decided to ambush our ship with his Lost Boys, challenging us to a fight, and of course we complied - it was the usual harmless rivalry games with the lad. Pan was always fond of challenging me personally for some reason, so we were clashing metal when Rumpelstiltskin chose to make his appearance. He attempted to persuade Pan once again, saying that he needed to 'make Peter remember that they were brothers'. Eventually, in the midst of my swordfight with Pan, the Crocodile uttered two words that rendered Pan still, and that was when… That was when…"

Emma watched as Hook broke off, unable to finish his sentence, gritting his teeth as he stared through pained eyes on the floor. The extremely rare show of vulnerability he was displaying to her right now was an admission of itself - she understood.

"You killed him," she finished quietly for him. At her words, he snapped his head towards her.

"Aye... But it was an accident, Swan - I swear to you," he said in a firm tone. "The lad was in the midst of a duel and the Crocodile was shouting - I couldn't stop it when my sword pierced through Pan's -" He broke off again and drew in a breath, closing his eyes. "I believe that whatever Rumpelstiltskin said that made Pan stop in the middle of our swordplay was what made Pan remember that they were indeed brothers. Because what happened next was a blur: all I could remember was how livid the Crocodile was, how he held Pan while he was... dying, how he claimed vengeance, how he disappeared into a portal with his brother's body, leaving his own _son_ behind…"

"The story is shorter from there," Hook said, opening his eyes. "The Crocodile made his return not as the man he was when he first came, but as the Dark One, and without so much of a bloody warning or a second thought, he murdered Liam in cold blood and sliced off my hand as compensation for my mistake." He spat at the ground in disgust. "And you know how my association with the Dark One stems from there. But yes, from Peter's death and then my brother's murder weighing on me, I had to leave Neverland. The Black Fairy helped me escape, allowing me to return to my kingdom - which also did not go so well. You should know that my piracy and unjust blame for my brother's murder was also thanks to the bloody Crocodile. So I swore revenge, and I returned to Neverland to find and kill him, but I only found the lone Black Fairy and an older, fatherless Baelfire when I arrived."

"What happened to Rumpelstiltskin?" Emma asked.

"Bloody abandoned his child for more power, no doubt," Hook hissed through gritted teeth. But then his tone softened as he continued. "When I met the lad the second time, Baelfire seemed to not have recognized me - which made sense as the incident with Pan occurred when he was only about 3 or 4 years old. But he was older and wiser during our second meeting, and eventually he realized just who I was - or, well, the person his father must have told him about: the good-for-nothing dangerous pirate who murdered his uncle and made his father the way he is today."

Hook's hollow voice echoed through the room, ringing through the still air until it eventually faded, resulting in yet another silent state between them. Hook simply stared silently at the fireplace beside them, a hardness in his features that could have only resulted from the painful memory of his past. Something stirred in Emma as she watched the pirate in front of her, his face now back to its usual indecipherable state. She wondered how many people have known this story; how many times he must have replayed it over and over in his mind as a way to fuel his revenge. His blue eyes were guarded, but she could still recall the pain in them earlier, and suddenly she felt the urge to reach out to him and comfort him.

She did.

He startled slightly at her touch, moving his head slowly to look at her hand on his shoulder in surprise. "It's not your fault," Emma assured him in a quiet yet firm voice. "His death was an accident and becoming the Dark One was his choice. It's not your fault."

He didn't shrug her hand away or reply - he simply gave a small nod and looked back at the fireplace, allowing them another silent moment.

* * *

How did it come to this?

There was nothing normal about them, that she knew. They were enemies first, then two people tied by business, and then simply companions who eventually tolerated each other. There were too many things going on at the moment; too much darkness in each of their pasts; too many secrets they've yet to share - some that were spilled tonight, thanks to their lovely situation of being the Black Witch's captives. There was also tension, heavy attraction, high walls and mistrust, and an undeniable connection. She didn't trust him, then did, then didn't again, and accused him too many times now for God-knows-what. And _dammit_, he was just as stubborn as her with his guards and walls and refusal to submit to vulnerability. But somehow, along their journey that had been messed up since the beginning (_still is_, she thought with a frown) of their business deal, they ended up like this:

_Laughing_.

(Or, as Hook would say, '_I'm bloody howling, Swan!'_)

And she _really_ didn't know how it came to this - only a few minutes ago they were having a heavily dramatic, dark conversation. As well, they werebeing held captive in the 'bloody' Dark One's old castle, where apparently her ex-lover and_ his_ present-lover now live - a situation that doesn't exactly bring smiles to most people's faces. It was the last thing they should be doing, but yet here they were, sitting on the floor together, laughing about some ridiculous story about one of Hook's adventures during his fresh days as a pirate.

"So you're saying," Emma managed to cough out after choking from laughter. "That in those 'Wanted' posters, they drew you with long, curly hair and _white tights?_"

"Don't forget the mole and feather hat, love," Hook added, his eyes twinkling with amusement at the sight of her laughing. "And apparently my chin is _this _long, too." He made a gesture towards his chin to demonstrate, which only made Emma laugh harder.

"Oh _God,_" she breathed, clutching at her chest.

"My, my, Swan. If the thought of my _chin _being that long makes you gasp like that, wait until you see something _else _that is quite long," Hook commented with a waggle of his eyebrows, causing Emma to roll her eyes and nudge him playfully by the shoulder.

"I still can't believe they got your identity wrong," Emma said, shaking her head. Then she grimaced. "Well I guess nothing can top my mistakes. Apparently I fell for the Dark One's fucking _son_ and I only found out three hours ago."

Hook mirrored her expression. "As much as I cared for the lad back then, I'm still not pleased with how he had left you. Nor am I even more so now, with what you've just told me."

Emma nodded silently, staring at the fire blankly as silence fell between them once again.

"So that's him, isn't it."

Emma looked at Hook in surprise. "Who?"

"The one you're looking for." He looked at Emma seriously. "The reason you became a bounty hunter."

She furrowed her eyebrows before realizing who Hook was talking about, almost bursting out in laughter at the realization. "You think I became a bounty hunter because of _Neal_?"

Hook raised his eyebrows, looking genuinely surprised. "Who, then?"

She didn't respond right away; a familiar, unsettling feeling overcoming her. "…I wouldn't know," she finally replied, looking back at the fireplace. "I… don't even know their names."

He didn't even have to ask who "they" were - he knew. In fact, it was something he had suspected ever since he pinpointed Swan as being the abandoned orphan type. _Her parents. _Indeed, it was a moment of vulnerability - yet another one to add between them. More than twice that evening, he counted, and it was boggling how it had escalated to this. _A bloody connection - how about that, Swan? _He couldn't even hate the fact anymore - whatever has grown between them; whatever changed within _himself_… Has led to this. Moments of companionship - of two broken individuals stuck in the most bloody bewildering situation, yet finding time to swap stories and tidbits of their shattered past. And while he was not ready to admit it aloud, he quite… liked it. Liked _her_.

It was the worst and best dilemma he had ever gotten himself tangled in.

Hook watched Emma as she stared blankly at the fireplace with a hint - _just a hint_ - of longing in those often-stony green eyes. _Ah, _how two days ago he would've pumped his fist in the air triumphantly at the glimpse of such an emotion; at the fact he had broken into her walls at last. That he had gained the trust (though _how much trust_, he has yet to find out) of the ever-so-wary Bounty Hunter. But alas, the blonde vixen had already stolen such triumphant from him when she first plundered into his own guarded fortress.

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his flask and opened it, before lifting it towards her.

"To all that has been lost," he toasted, then drank from it. His eyes never left hers as he handed the flask to her, his voice low and honest, as if making sure she understood every word he said. "And to what we have found."

But what _exactly _have they found? What has Captain Hook, a pirate lost in a heated cloud of vengeance, managed to find after all these years of endless chasing and plotting?

The answer surged into his skin as Emma drank from the flask and handed it back to him, their fingertips touching for an electric second. The flash in those green eyes let him know that he was not alone in feeling the sudden change in the atmosphere between them; the spark that resulting from the contact. Out of its own accord, his eyes flickered towards her lips, which were parted slightly - half surprised, half afraid. He could almost _feel _the hesitance within her; the guards slowly rising out of instinct to prevent what may happen next. For that reason, he didn't move forward or crush his lips onto hers, even though he was very much tempted to. He respected Emma too much for that, and well, she would most likely cut off his other hand for such a rash motion.

Oh yes, Killian Jones has not forgotten the other night when she'd barely kissed him - it haunted the back of his mind when he wasn't thinking of their _current _important matters - and it was an action he was desperately curious to have repeated. And when Emma's eyes suddenly and unexpectedly gazed towards his own lips, he knew that the Swan, too, had not forgotten about their shared moment. It was further confirmed when she lifted her gaze back to his own, the action slow and almost teasing, the fire in her eyes looking as if she was _challenging _him.

Well, he _does _love a challenge.

Not taking his eyes off of hers for one second, he gently put down the flask and lifted his intact hand, brushing away the wisps of blonde hair on her face. Then he leaned in, slowly and carefully, in case Swan decided to change her mind, gradually closing his eyes when she did hers. He could feel the warmth of her breath now; the scent of forest lingering in those blonde tresses, and he took a moment to breathe it all in - the scent of _her_, and everything that came with it. He had it all now - the sight, the sound, the scent, the _touch - _all he needed was her _taste_, which was only an inch away from his own. And _gods_, how he despised having to kiss her _here - _in the bloody Crocodile's old castle, of all places - but yet he managed to push the thought away when the realization finally hit him again - _he was about to kiss Emma._

_Bang!_ They stopped abruptly, their eyes flying open at the sudden sound. Hook would have taken the moment to smirk at the curse under Emma's breath, if it weren't for the fact he was now alert (and extremely frustrated) at the sound that interrupted their would-be kiss.

Emma furrowed her eyebrows at the wall behind the fireplace from where the sound came. "What the hell was-"

_Bang! Bang! Bang! _This time it was repeated more purposefully, and now that they were fully alert to it, the sound seemed like it was _someone _who was making it, as if trying to get their attention…

Running a frustrated hand down his face, he glared at the wall. "It appears the huntsman wants to speak to us," he muttered under his breath. The surprised look on her face let him know that the Bounty Hunter had momentarily forgotten about Graham, which made Hook smug, considering he was the reason for that. But his frown immediately returned. _So close; so bloody close - _why couldn't have the bloody bloke waited until the morning?

Emma let out a breath and stood up, the slightly apologetic look in her face softening his mood a bit. "I have to…"

Hook sighed. "Don't you always?" He gave her a half-hearted smile. "Go, Swan, speak with your friend - I'll see in you in the morning." Returning the smile, Emma turned and walked towards the door.

"And Swan?"

She stopped turning the knob mid-way and looked back at Hook, who, to her great surprise, had his infamous wide cheeky grin on his face.

"Whether it be here or in my ship or in the next bloody kingdom, _Emma,"_ he said, brushing his lips lightly yet pointedly with his fingertips. He quirked an eyebrow teasingly at her. "I'll be waiting."

* * *

**A/N: **I'm a tease, I know I know… I did promise a real CS first kiss though, and it's coming very soon... ;)

-We finally found out the story behind Hook's revenge! Captain Hook accidentally killed Peter Pan, who was Rumple's brother (I still get the creeps when I think of how Rumple was Peter Pan's son in the actual show so I made him his brother here lol), which led to Rumple's revenge and thus Liam's death :( Our poor baby Killian…

What did you guys think of the story behind Hook's revenge? And Peter Pan being Rumple's long-lost younger brother (instead of being Rumple's father, like in the show)? Thoughts, opinions, critiques, etc in the form of reviews are greatly appreciated :)

Next chapter - we finally meet the Black Fairy, who speaks to Emma AND to _another_ person… Their conversations will reveal many, _many surprising_ things...


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: **My muse was kind to me on this one. This chapter & the next one were supposed to be one big chapter, but I realized that it was waaay too long, so I divided them into 2 separate chpts.

I hope you enjoy this one :) The next chapter (ch20) will be up very soon, and it will reveal MORE things about Tamara as the Black Fairy AND **Hook**…

Thank you to everyone who reviewed/favorited/followed :) I really appreciate it :")

* * *

In a land without magic, there is no true control over life. Whatever conditions you lived in were simply just _there, _handed to you by the courses of nature. Choice and freedom within whatever life you were given were existent, but how ironic was it to have two such things in a land without magic; in a land claimed to be uncontrolled by any unseen forces.

For a land _with _magic, however, control was just within grasp. It was very common for problems to always have a solution, and even more often was it for the solution to be _magical_: a potion, a wish, a kiss. Here, too, choice and freedom were present - the freedom to have any life you choose, with the snap of a finger or a wave of a wand or a grant of a wish.

Magic, control, choice, _freedom_.

For someone of her background, it would be expected that a Land Without Magic was nothing compared to a land _with _it, for what is better than having both Control _and_ Freedom? It was a glorious thing that any inhabitant of the Land Without Magic would desperately long for. But strangely enough, while she lived in a land that did contain magic, she felt nothing of the sort. There was no control, no choice, no freedom. The magical life she lived was one she was _born _into - quite literally. She never asked for any of it; never had any _real_ control over the conditions of her life. She never asked to be _this_ type of magical being… She hated it - despised it with every immortal bone in her body_. Magic_ - a despicable, treacherous thing.

She hated it. And loved it.

_Loved_ _it_, because once upon a time, it was her entire world. She lived and laughed and danced in it, content with the memories that it gave her: sprinkles of dust filling the air; the swirling of long, colorful dresses; glittering wings; the sweet promises of adventure; the glimpse of a wonderful, glorious, successful future _with _the loved ones who expected so much from her…

But she ruined it all.

And _she _took it away from her.

And that was when she remembered how much she _loathed _magic. Such a paradox: how she loved it, yet hated it. How she was born into it and how it was engraved into her body and marked as her destiny. Her responsibility. Her _legacy._ How she was enslaved by the responsibility and burden of it, so much so that when she was discovered to _not_ be a very skilled wielder of magic, she was deemed to be unfit for it. And she was cast away, into a still land of never's - forever.

_Oh, _if _they_ could only see her now. She, the once naïve, aloof young girl who could barely sprout the wings she was supposed to have, turned into something great. Something fearsome. Something, as most people liked to say_, dark. _No longer did she lack any skills in the magical department - she has gone so far to achieve the magic she learned to have today. And now... _Now _that she was the very person that her dear, fellow protectors of Magic never expected her to be, she could finally set her 'grand plan' into motion:

A curse. A land _without_ magic. And a reunion.

A true intention masked by her dark reputation for vengeance and power. It was something she had only thought about while in Neverland, after her dear teacher abandoned her. Of course, the _original_ plan was a little messier: it was a mixture of wanting to prove that she _was _deserving of Magic and was very capable of doing great things too, but like all people who were treated like they were nothing, she had a hint of hatred in her. Hatred, determination, and… _other _hidden feelings. And perhaps t_hat_ was the reason why she thought of this 'grand plan'.

But of course, like all plans, there were loopholes. _Of course_ there had to be a heroic Saviour that "can" and "will" break the curse she wanted to cast. Nevertheless, she took precautions and sought after what the Eye had said could be the only way to stop this Saviour: _the Bounty Hunter_. However, this 'Bounty Hunter' ended up being quite the frustrating conquest - too many idiots she had to hire to get her were unsuccessful. And, well, everyone knew what happens when things don't go _her_ way… Her mind briefly drifted towards one of the said idiots - what was his name again? Jiminy? Conscious, worrisome fool. He was lucky she was in a softer mood that night and transformed him _back_ into the deformed-cricket he once was, and that she decided against squishing him to his death. She chuckled at the thought as she walked through the fog - Jiminy's supposed murdered fate was a little white lie she had told Neal, but he didn't need to know. Baelfire needed that _push_ to get his men to successfully get the Bounty Hunter, after all…

The sudden clearing of the fog snapped her out of her thoughts and she looked up to see a vast, barren land of dirt before her. To others, it may look like an abandoned strip of land that led to nowhere, but she knew better. Finally, after for so, _so _many years, she has found it: where _they _now live. _They_, as in the ones who turned their backs on her and allowed her to be cast away - like she was worthless, like she was _nothing _to them…

She stretched out her arm towards the empty land and her fingers stopped against its will at what seemed like an invisible force. A surge of magic vibrated around her fingers as she attempted to press into it, confirming her analysis. _A protection spell - _oh yes, she _really_ has found where they now lived. Her eyes darted around her surroundings, trying to look for any trace of weakness in the spell. Surely there must be _something _ - they lost almost all of their powers after Cora cast the curse on the White Kingdom, so the magic in this protective shield should be as weak as _their _magic.

Her eyes traced the land before her, until she came across a stone tablet a little far ahead of her. Instinctively, she made to walk towards it to take a closer look, but as soon as her body hit the invisible shield, the magic of it bounced back on her, sending her to fall flat on her back. Groaning, she propped herself up by her elbows and brushed the dirt off of her black robes, and made a motion to stand up again. But before she could fully bring herself to walk towards the shield again, something stopped her in her tracks.

'-perhaps next month, we could…'

_Voices_. While such things would prompt her to blast the shield into oblivion, she couldn't. _Voices - _the sheer familiarity of them pierced through her and all she could do is stay frozen and listen. '_Perhaps next month - what?_' Relocate? She wanted to hear more of it; more of _them_, but alas their voices were now becoming more and more muffled as she strained to listen. So that was when she decided to have another go at it, since it seemed to have caused this momentary weakness on the shield. She took a step towards the invisible barrier and held out her hands…

_Wham! _This time, the force of the protection spell was so strong that it slammed her against a tree, sending a rather loud _thump _that rang throughout the forest. She cursed outwardly and glared at the empty land - okay, now she was _really _going to blast this thing into oblivion -

"What was that?! Something's trying to get through!"

She paused mid-air, her palms within inches of being clapped into a spell she was about to make. Her eyes widened at the voices - _they heard me. _Any moment now, they could come out and see her, and no doubt they would know who she is, no matter how old she has grown since the last time she saw them… Suddenly feeling panicked, she changed her mind and snapped her fingers, disappearing into a cloud of dark orange smoke.

The last thing she saw was the stone tablet in the middle of the empty land.

* * *

Stone floors were never her thing - she much preferred white marble floors that glistened with the reflection of candlelight. But of course, the Dark One _had _to make his castle match his name: empty, dreary, and irritatingly _cold._ Just like these goddamn stone floors.

She got up from the floor on which she appeared - how ridiculous was it to reappear flat on the ground, even when she has done this millions of times. It seemed that no matter how far she'd gone in terms of mastering Magic, her emotions got to the best of her. _Why_ did that stone tablet have to be the last thing she saw before poofing out of there? Because while she first didn't know what it was, after hearing _their _voices, she knew what she suspected deep in her heart: _the stone tablet was_ her_ gravestone…_

"Tamara, you're back!"

Regaining her composure at the sound of his voice, she turned around and plastered on a smile. "Baelfire," she greeted warmly, returning his embrace. "We're not in public - you can call me by my real name. I know how much you prefer it."

Baelfire shrugged. "I've grown to like 'Tamara'. And don't call me that, babe, you know I like the name Neal better." He pulled back and looked at her, giving her a wide grin. "You got my message, right?"

Tamara smiled, her brooding mood from earlier now disappearing at the reminder. "Of course. She will be here soon, won't she?"

"Yeah... _Hook _is here too, if you want to speak to him as well," Neal replied with a look of utter distaste on his face. Tamara simply smiled - _oh_, she'll deal with that pirate later.

"So? For how long do I have to wait for her?"

Neal glanced back at a clock behind him. "She should be here now."

A hint of a wicked grin passed her face at the thought - at last, she was finally, _finally _going to meet the person who will bring the Saviour, so that she may destroy the very person preventing her from setting her 'grand plan' into motion. Everything was playing perfectly - the Saviour was trapped in that wretched White Kingdom, the Bounty Hunter will bring her the Saviour, and she can _finally_ perform the greatest magic she will ever have done in her life…

"Then bring her in."

* * *

Emma Swan wasn't a fan of physical touch, particularly the kind that occurred to her without her permission. So when Jefferson and Victor showed up at the door to "escort" her to her meeting with Black Fairy's room, practically manhandling her in a borderline inappropriate way, she snapped.

(And in the midst of it all, she tried to push away the thought of a mischievous, lecherous look on Hook's face if she were to ever say the word "manhandle" to him, but of course that image led her to remember their near-kiss moment at the foot of his bed... _So close_ - she could still see his eyelids fluttering closed and feel his warm breath as their faces slowly inched closer and closer and _closer_...

She shook her head - _this is not the fucking time, Emma._)

She kicked Jefferson's shin, wiping off the leering grin he had given her earlier. After elbowing Victor in the stomach, she hurried off in smug satisfaction. Poor guy. But while Victor was more reserved and less annoying, she reminded herself that _he_ was the one who threw that bomb back at Hunter's Point...

"Was that really necessary?"

Emma whipped around abruptly at the sound of the voice, fingers reaching for her hidden dagger by instinct - _just in case_. But something stopped her in her tracks, and she soon found herself frozen mid-strike against her will, forced to stare at the owner of the voice.

Standing before her was a woman draped entirely in black: she was clad in a dark floor-length dress with a fitted bodice that had black feathers peeking out at its collar; specks of dark orange gems in the material gleaming underneath the corridor lights. The long, flowing sheer robes that cascaded over her shoulders and around her body were now swaying with the gentle breeze that came from the large open door beside them. All Emma could do was glance wide-eyed at the woman's extended arm, which was purposefully pointing towards her, as she was rendered frozen.

There was no mistaking who this woman was - the aura and magic crackling around her spoke for itself.

_The Black Fairy._

She slowly lowered her arm, smiling when Emma inadvertently dropped her dagger on the ground in the process, now able to move again.

"Welcome to the Dark Castle, Emma Swan. It's so nice to finally meet you."

* * *

With the threat of the Black Fairy using magic on her again looming in the air, Emma didn't dare pick up her dagger from the ground. So when the Black Fairy nodded towards the room and walked in, Emma followed without a word. She knew better than to act rashly, especially after hearing all about the Black Fairy's 'abilities'. But first, she wanted to analyze this 'fairy witch' and figure her out for herself.

The room was as grandiose as she expected it: tapestries threaded with intricate golden designs hung from the walls and rugs fitted for royalty were draped across the floor. This was, Emma realized, the first room she'd been in that wasn't as dreary as the 'Dark Castle' seemed to be. Standing near a bookshelf, she watched warily as the Black Fairy (or was it _Tamara, _like Neal told her? _Whatever)_ strode towards the open balcony. Emma refused to speak first - after all, it is an unwritten rule that whoever spoke first was the first to be judged, as often first words revealed much about a person. The intonation, inflection, tone, and content of the words would be exposing enough for Emma to make a judgment and a fair enough analysis on this 'Black Fairy', _and then _she will speak when nothing proved it to be unwise.

Before words, there were physical traits, and Emma studied the Black Fairy's movements as she closed the balcony doors. The Black Fairy seemed to _really_ like the colour black - fitting for her 'title', Emma supposed - and _orange _seemed to be another subtle theme in her clothing, as the tiny dark orange gems littered around her bodice and the large orange pendant that rested on the fairy's chest seemed to imply. The woman was undeniably very beautiful, too, but her beauty was not average - it was… _striking_. Long black hair cascaded along the fairy's back, shining underneath the room's light as she walked towards Emma; her dark almond-shaped eyes guarded yet determined; painted lips curved in a hint of a mocking smile. Intimidating _and_ untouchable, the Black Fairy seemed to be - traits that Emma had herself, if she were to admit it.

"Still plan on staying mute?"

The lips finally gave in to a smirk when she took in Emma's defiant eyes and crossed-arm posture. The Black Fairy raised an eyebrow and tilted her head, as if observing her in a different angle.

_'Proud one, aren't you?' _ her eyes seemed to ask.

Emma lifted an equally challenging eyebrow in response. _'Well, you did treat me like a prisoner.'_

At this, the Black Fairy barked out a laugh. "Very well. You know, Emma Swan, you're lucky I haven't considered giving you what you deserve after all the trouble you've caused me," she said, a dark look flashing through her eyes before it softened again. "But all is forgiven. As well, I'm not going to ask you if you'd like to make yourself comfortable. Small talk isn't really my thing either - I'm sure you'd like to get straight to business, don't you, _Bounty Hunter_?" Emma gave her a stiff nod in reply.

"Good." She walked towards another bookshelf, running her fingers along the polished wood. "Formal introductions are no longer necessary - I'm sure Neal and your… _pirate _were so kind to tell you all about me. So call me _Tamara_, if you don't mind _- _it's much more tasteful." Tamara smiled at the slightly alarmed look on Emma's face. "Oh yes, I'm very aware of Captain Hook. But don't you worry. He's safe from me… For now."

Emma narrowed her eyes. "What do you want from him?" she spat, before fuming inwardly for speaking.

Tamara's eyes gleamed triumphantly at her success in provoking Emma to finally speak. "Oh, but it's not the pirate I'm seeking, Emma Swan. Why, it's _you_ who I want something from."

She paused briefly and studied Emma's face before continuing. "Two words, Bounty Hunter: _White Kingdom. _How much do you know of it?"

Emma simply glared at her in response, still cursing herself silently for her impulsive outburst. Tamara shrugged and went on. "Well, it has been enslaved by a dark curse for 28 years now - a curse of no ordinary kind. Because this curse, Emma Swan, destroyed three precious things known to all mortals: Time, Memory, and Freedom. No one cursed in this kingdom has aged for 28 years, and none of them have any truthful memories about their true identities and past. And, the reason why this kingdom has been hidden from the public eye for 28 years, unable to be found by outsiders and have its curse broken, is due to its lack of freedom: no one can leave it and no one can enter it."

"Lie," Emma suddenly said, face hard as she watched Tamara's dark eyes slowly drift to her face. "People were able to enter and leave the White Kingdom in the past."

Tamara regarded her for a moment. "Your dear new friend, the shape-shifter?" She chuckled at Emma's arched eyebrow. "Yes, I'm aware that your werewolf friend visited her old home after the curse. But next time, save your little comments _after_ I'm finished speaking, hmm?"

"Let me restate that then," Tamara continued, now with a hint of annoyance in her voice. "No one _cursed_ can ever leave the kingdom - not even Cora can either. Visitors _are_ permitted, but they never stay for any longer than 7 days. It's just a part of the curse. It's interesting, however, that the werewolf managed to find the White Kingdom because to outsiders, it simply looks like a desolate country due to its cloaking spell - a _disguise _to prevent onlookers from proceeding into its boundaries. But I guess that with the right amount of knowledge, you can get past those type of boundaries…"

Tamara trailed off, her attention now towards the balcony window; a faraway, indecipherable look on her face. Emma watched her as she did, skeptically sifting through the Black Fairy's words. Finally, after what seemed like the longest pause in her life, Emma cleared her throat.

"So?" Emma said impatiently. "Go on. What about the White Kingdom?"

The Black Fairy's eyes never left the window as she spoke. "The Dark Curse on the White Kingdom will be the exact same one the Destroyer will enact - except on the _entire _Enchanted Forest. It will curse every living creature here." Tamara looked back at Emma. "Baelfire _did _tell you about the Destroyer, correct?"

"Yeah," Emma said with a nod. "Neal said you wanted me to find this... Saviour who can '_destroy the Destroyer_', since the Eye said I'm the only one who can find him."

"Exactly, Emma Swan. Now, are you ready-"

"Hold on, I'm not finished," Emma held a hand up to interrupt her. Tamara gritted her teeth at the rude gesture _- how _dare_ she interrupt the Black Fairy?_ But while she was tempted to blast Emma across the room, she decided against it, thinking that it was wiser that she was on her best behaviour if she wanted the Bounty Hunter to agree with her.

"What I don't understand," Emma continued. "Is why the _Black Fairy_ - who's supposed to be the _Dark One's _student - wants to help _save_ the Enchanted Forest from this 'Destroyer'." She crossed her arms and gave her a defiant look. "I want you to be straightforward, _Tamara_, and you better tell me the truth. What's your _real_ motive for going after this Destroyer?"

For a moment, Tamara looked taken aback by Emma's accusation, but her composure was quickly regained when she let out a loud laugh.

"You and the pirate have been sharing a _lot _of stories, I see! And such a proud attitude, too - I think I preferred you better when you were mute." She walked towards the balcony, a smirk still plastered on her face. "The Dark Curse will be cast on the _entire _Enchanted Forest, Emma Swan, therefore it will be much more powerful. It will send us to another realm _and _obliterate our memories, I'm afraid, and well… I can't get married to a man I don't remember." Tamara waved her fingers towards Emma to emphasize the ring on her finger, the large jewel on it sparkling underneath the light.

Emma tried to resist a scoff. "You want to avoid a curse so you can have a _wedding_?"

Rolling her eyes with an equally sarcastic expression, Tamara dropped her arm and gave her an unimpressed look. "You're slower than I was led to believe, Bounty Hunter. The curse will send us to another _realm. _Have you seen my possessions around here?" She gestured around the large room. "The Dark Castle, complete with all of these wonderfully _rare_ items. Potions and ancient spell books that any sorcerer would _die _to have a hold of… What could I possibly do in another land without magic that could take all of this away from me?"

"How do you know if the curse will take you to a land without magic?"

Tamara looked away quickly, swearing inwardly at the now-skeptical tone of Emma. Damn her own running mouth - why did she have to be so careless? She let the excitement of getting the Bounty Hunter close to complying to the deal get to the best of her. _No, _she must be careful… She cannot let Emma Swan know her true intentions with what she wants to do with the Saviour; with what she wants to_ really_ happen in regards to the Dark Curse. She has to convince her that it's for the good of the Enchanted Forest; that she genuinely wants to save this pitiful realm…

"It was seen by the Eye," Tamara lied, sparing Emma a quick glance to see her reaction. The Bounty Hunter's suspicious eyes slightly softened. _Excellent, she seems convinced enough… _"The Dark Curse will take all of the inhabitants of the Enchanted Forest to a Land Without Magic and wipe away our memories, giving us new ones." She finally looked at Emma in the eyes. "So you see now, Emma Swan? The fate of the Enchanted Forest - your _home_? The Destroyer must be stopped and in order for that to happen, the Saviour needs to be found. And you, Bounty Hunter, are the only one the Eye said could find the Saviour."

Something flashed in Emma's eyes that Tamara couldn't quite catch, but whatever it was seemed to have caused Emma to look away from the Black Fairy.

"So you did all of this so you can hire me to get this Saviour and stop this curse?" she said quietly, looking down at the floor.

"Believe me, when I want something, I will do everything and _anything _to get it, Emma Swan. Force was only added if the Bounty Hunter showed any… violent resistance." Tamara raised an eyebrow at Emma pointedly.

Emma's eyes snapped back to the woman in front of her, giving her a long, hard look. She began to pace around a small rounded table between them. "And I'm guessing the Saviour is in the White Kingdom?"

"Precisely."

"And you want me to bring him back to you?"

"That is the plan, yes," Tamara replied, eyeing Emma with a growing excitement as she watched the Bounty Hunter's eyes furrow thoughtfully. "I believe that the Saviour and I will be much more effective together, considering my own magical abilities, in stopping this curse."

"Right."

"So what is it, Bounty Hunter? Will you take on this business with me or no?"

Emma let out a scoff and rolled her eyes. "Even if I say no_, _it's not like _you're_ going to let me back down."

"Observant," Tamara mused with a smirk. "But yet while you had the chance and skills to sneak your way out of here, you still agreed to meet me on your own free will."

To her surprise, Emma stopped walking and let out a huff. "Listen, _Tamara,_ the only reason I'm here is because of the Eye. Otherwise I wouldn't give two shits about finding this 'Saviour' for you, let alone even meetingyou." She crossed her arms and gave her a serious look. "But now that I've finally talked to you, I sense something is off. Hoo_-_ I may be right about my initial suspicions. Maybe what you're telling me isn't exactly what you're making it seem. Maybe you're not really trying to save the Enchanted Forest. Maybe you're trying to stop the Saviour so you can-"

"_Captain_ _Hook_," Tamara clucked in a distasteful voice. "Remind me to extend my utmost gratitude to the pirate for what he has told you." Emma closed her mouth into a thin line, causing Tamara to smirk. "Yes, I'm aware of your business with him and your _interactions_. I'm also very aware of what he might have told you about me. But if I were you, I'd steer clear of the pirate, Emma Swan. He's not exactly the most… _trustworthy _companion. I wouldn't be so comfortable in continuing your deal with him if I were you."

Emma narrowed her eyes at her. "What are you talking about?"

Tamara arched an eyebrow. "Here I thought you were the skeptical type, Emma Swan. Haven't you noticed? Captain Hook is just like me - determined to achieve his goal, his _revenge_, no matter what, using _anything _and _everything _to get his way." She smiled when Emma involuntarily clenched her fist. "Think about it, Bounty Hunter, before trekking to the White Kingdom with him to find the Dark One."

"I don't understand why you're so concerned about me going there with Hook."

Tamara let out an exasperated sigh. "I'm concerned about the _lies_ he has been telling you about my intentions, Emma Swan. And besides, if anything should happen to the Bounty Hunter that_ I'm_ interested in because of that insufferable pirate…" She smiled at Emma. "Well, then it_ really _becomes _my _concern."

"How do I know _you're _the one that's not lying?" Emma countered, lifting her chin defiantly. "Hook told me all about your past - how you were exiled from your own kind; how you have this 'grand plan'… What if he was telling the truth? That this is all just a big scheme to get a dark curse for _your_ revenge?"

"And how do _you _know, Emma Swan, that _he _isn't just trying to fool you?" Tamara hissed, feeling slightly panicked and frustrated now. She couldn't afford this; she needed to convince the Bounty Hunter... "That perhaps he doesn't want you to find the Saviour and help save the Enchanted Forest. That maybe, just maybe, he _wants _this dark curse to happen? I don't think he has been completely open with you, Emma Swan, with exactly how he plans to destroy the Dark One."

Emma glared at Tamara. "Hook isn't that selfish. He… wouldn't allow a curse to destroy an entire _land _just to kill one guy. Besides, the curse would get Hook, too."

Tamara smiled sadly and tilted her head, looking at Emma pitifully. "He lost everything after his brother died, Emma Swan. What else could he possibly live for after he fulfills his lifelong goal of revenge?"

The Black Fairy's words threw Emma off a bit, almost causing her to lose her hardened, indifferent composure. Her mind briefly went to the first time Hook pleaded with her to take on his dangerous request to help him find the Dark One - how desperate he seemed; how cold his eyes looked whenever he spoke of it. She remembered the deep pain in those cerulean eyes when he spoke of his brother for the first time to her… '_He lost everything'… _But while she would have believe that Hook would be capable of such an evil before, she couldn't bring herself to let her momentary doubt to believe it now. Something changed in her perspective of the pirate over the past few days - the moments they shared; the encounters they had and _almost had… _There was no way…

"No," Emma finally said in a firm voice. "I don't believe you. I think Hook is telling the truth - that you really do have something evil up your sleeve with this curse." She took a step back towards the door, glaring at Tamara, whose almond-shaped eyes fractionally widened in a way that one could only describe as panic.

"I shouldn't have come here and let you almost talk me into this." Emma turned around and let out a breath. "I'm sorry, Tamara, but count me out on this deal. Find another bounty hunter. I'll give you a list of some really qualified people I know-"

"The _Eye_, Emma Swan, remember that," Tamara interjected, a hint of panic in her voice. "You can't escape from your fate!"

At her words, Emma's mouth drew into a thin line. She slightly turned her head over her shoulder. "Watch me."

Tamara widened her eyes in anger as she watched Emma walk out the door. Damn that Jones! She was _this _close to getting the Bounty Hunter to seal the deal - she was foolish in mentioning the pirate. Well then, if she couldn't get the Bounty Hunter to agree to her plan, then she'll _make _her…

Abruptly, Tamara paused, her arms still mid-air from the spell she was about to enact - something had caught her attention_. Well, well… What do we have here? _A wicked smile slowly spread across her face as she looked at the opened doorway in front of her, staring at the ground beyond it with an unnatural glee, as if she had just made a grand discovery. Perhaps she doesn't have to force the Bounty Hunter after all…

"You'll change your mind, Emma Swan," Tamara said aloud to the empty room, lowering her arms to smooth down her gown. "I'll make sure of it."

* * *

**A/N: **Oh Black Fairy, trying to taunt Emma using her pirate, Hook... Hmm, I wonder how Tamara plans to make Emma do her dirty work though...

We'll find that out next chapter, where Hook and Tamara have a _very, very _revealing conversation. After all, if you recall, Hook and the Black Fairy and Baelfire used to know each other back in Neverland. Lots of shocking things exposed here (probably some secrets some of you readers have been very clever to guess about!) about both Hook and Tamara/the Black Fairy, _and _Emma discovers two very shocking news. (expect angst)

Oh, & to make this clear to those asking: Hook & Tamara never had any sort of romantic relationship. Lmao *shivers* just can't see that happening with their personalities & back-stories... Not here, not ever lol.

So yeah. As I always say, I'm 100% Captain Swan (with Gremma brotp feels) ;)


End file.
